Abstract
The aim of this study was to know the prevalence of smoking in medical students, and by the way to sensitize against the habit and to know their attitudes and behaviour in their future exercise. We carried out a cross-sectional survey from February to March 2010 among 736 medical students enrolled in the university of Medicine and Pharmacy of Casablanca during the academic year 2009-2010. Ninety seven percent of students answered the questionnaire: 61.5% were female 61.5%), mean age 21 years. The prevalence of permanent or occasional smoking was 8% with little variation according to the study year. Smoking was significantly higher among male (16% versus 2.7% in female). The mean daily consumption of cigarettes was 8. The duration of smoking was 6 months or more for 82% and 70% of smokers were slightly or not addicted to nicotine according to the FAGERSTRÖM's scale. More than half of the students (58%) had already tried to quit and 52% plan to do so within 5 years. The main triggering reason for quitting was the occurrence of symptoms (66%). Most students knew that smoking is harmful to health (92%). Among tobacco risks the respiratory ones were the best known. Only 39% of the students contemplate to systematically warn their smoking patients against tobacco's risks. Majority of them (71%) were not aware about the existence of an antitobacco law. But they called for a ban on selling tobacco to children as well as training health workers to help smoking patients to quit. In comparison with some years ago, there is a significant decrease in smoking habit in medical students, may be thanks to a steady and continuing educational effort since the induction of a teaching program in 1983.
- © 2011 ERS
