RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Smoking among medical and non-medical students in Tbilisi, Georgia: Does education matter?
JF European Respiratory Journal
JO Eur Respir J
FD European Respiratory Society
SP p4240
VO 38
IS Suppl 55
A1 Ivane Chkhaidze
A1 Nino Maglakelidze
A1 Tamaz Maglakelidze
YR 2011
UL http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/38/Suppl_55/p4240.abstract
AB Smoking rate in Georgia remains high and even tend to increase, especially among youth. The aim of this study was to describe the prevalence and factors influencing smoking among medical and non-medical students of Tbilisi, Georgia.The study was carried out in Tbilisi State Medical University and Tbilisi State University. 400 students were asked to fill out questionnaires. Sex ratio was 1:1. In total 48.9% of students were indentified to be smokers and 51.1% nonsmokers. The mean age was 20.24 years among smokers and 20.26 among nonsmokers. Medical education did not play role in smoking habit, since 50%.3 among medical students were smokers and 47.5% among non-medical students. 68% smokers were males. 45.8% were light smokers, 40.2% moderate and 14.0% heavy smokers. Males and females have expressed equal willingness to quit smoking. Just 37.3% of smokers have tried to quit smoking. The most common reasons of starting to smoke again were habit of smoking and alcohol. 58.8% of smokers would like to quit smoking stating health and financial reasons as the main factors on their desire. The willingness to quit smoking was expressed by 61.2% of medical and 56% of non-medical students. About 65% percent of students was exposed to smoking in the families, despite this fact did not turn out to have influence on their own smoking habit.In conclusion, results of the study have identified the need of enhancement of smoking related education on university level. Special attention should be given to the inclusion of anti-smoking information in study curricula. These measures can only be successful if tobacco control policies will be fully enforced on national level as well.