Tobacco use in students of the Third Faculty of Medicine of Charles University in the Czech Republic
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: This study assessed trends in tobacco use in students of the Third Faculty of Medicine of Charles University in the Czech Republic between academic years 2012/13 and 2019/2020. METHODS: Two cross-sectional surveys designed to obtain information on smoking history, smoking status, tobacco products use, and cessation were conducted among 382 students of the 6-year Master's Study Programme (General Medicine) and the 3-year Bachelor's Study Programme (Public Health) in 2012/2013; and among 580 students of General Medicine and of the Bachelor's Study Programmes (Public Health, Dental Hygiene and Nursing) in 2019/2020.
RESULTS: Regular/daily smoking was reported by 4.4 +- 2.4% (with 95% CI) of General Medicine students and 4.8 +- 4.1% of Public Health students in 2012/2013, and 1.3 +- 1.1% of General Medicine students and 14.4 +- 4.8% of students of bachelor studies in 2019/2020. The share of regular and occasional smokers was higher among junior students in both academic years (23.9 +- 5.1% and 20.1 +- 4.7%, respectively) compared to senior students (23.6 +- 9.8% and 9.6 +- 5.7%).
Cigarettes were the most common products used in both academic years (67.0 +- 4.7% and 45.5 +- 4.0%). There was a significant increase in proportion of students using more tobacco products in the course of the time (from 12.1 +- 3.1% to 53.7 +- 4.1%).
The proportion of students who quitted smoking has risen from 11.4 +- 3.2% to 16.1 +- 3.0%. On the contrary, the proportion of students who started smoking has dropped from 15.9 +- 3.7% to 2.9 +- 1.4%.
The proportion of non-smokers has risen from 57.6 +- 5.0% to 65.3 +- 3.9%. CONCLUSIONS: The study revealed some positive trends concerning tobacco use in students (decline in regular smokers among students of General Medicine, senior students, cigarette smokers, water pipe smokers; rise in non-smokers), but also negative ones (rise in regular smokers among students of Public Health, students who used more tobacco products).