Abstract
Introduction: As tobacco use is a pandemic disease, behavior and training are important for medical practitioners of the future. Objectives: To estimate the prevalence of smokers, the knowledge on smoking cessation techniques and the treatment among the medical students. Methods: Cross-sectional survey sample of 361 medical students from 3rd year of 2008 and 6th year of 2011 n=201 (class1) vs 3rd year of 2009 and 6th year of 2012 n=160 (class2). The questionnaire used was self-administered Global Health Professional Students Survey after translation. It was used the chi-square test with p <0.05. Results: It was observed a low prevalence of smoking: class1=8,25% vs class2=3,85%, not significant (NS). In this sample there is an agreement about the necessity of receiving specific training in smoking cessation: class1=97.03% vs 98.18% (NS), and class 2=97.14% vs. 98.36% (NS).The students improved their knowledge about the reasons why people smoke: class 1=3rd year (44.55%) and 6th year (73.64%) p<0.001 vs class 2=3rd year (47.62%) and 6th year (73.77%) p<0.001. Treatment through nicotine replacement therapy is well known by 3rd year of class1 (90.10%) and by 3rd year of class2 (92.38%) and the entire population interviewed in both 6th years, p< 0.001. Regarding the non-nicotine treatment (bupropion and nortriptyline), the students said they knew this drug: class 1=46.53% vs 99.08% and class 2=49.04% vs 100%, p< 0.001. Conclusions: The low prevalence of smokers was observed. There was a difference in the knowledge about the curriculum, training and treatment in medical education. We conclude that future physicians are prepared to give support to smokers.
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