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Role of family and peers in the initiation and continuation of smoking behavior of future physicians
Mausumi Basu1, Palash Das2, Sukumar Mitra3, Srijit Ghosh4, Ranabir Pal5, Subrata Bagchi6
1 Department of Community Medicine, PGIMER and SSKM (PG) Hospital, Kolkata, India
2 Department of Community Medicine, Medinipore Medical College, West Bengal, India
3 Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Burdwan Medical College, West Bengal, India
4 Department of Psychiatry, N.R.S. Medical College, Kolkata, India
5 Department of Community Medicine, Sikkim Manipal Institute of Medical Sciences and Central Referral Hospital, 5th Mile, Tadong, Gangtok, Sikkim, India
6 Department of Community Medicine, N.R.S. Medical College, Kolkata, India
Correspondence Address:
Ranabir Pal
Department of Community Medicine, Sikkim Manipal Institute of Medical Sciences and Central Referral Hospital, 5th Mile, Tadong, Gangtok, Sikkim
India
 Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None  | Check |
DOI: 10.4103/0975-7406.84452
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Background : Globally researchers have long back noted that the trend of substance use was on the rise particularly in the student population. Objective : To find out the prevalence and determinants of smoking practices among undergraduate medical students. Materials and Methods : A cross-sectional study was conducted among undergraduate medical (MBBS) students of a tertiary care medical college using a predesigned and pretested semi-structured self-administered anonymous questionnaire. Results : Among 182 participants, 55 (30%) were smokers; 85.45% were regular smokers; majority in the age group 20-22 years (70%); mostly males (98%). No significant difference was observed among urban and rural students, and religion had no association. The practice of smoking for last 6 months to 1 year was in 43.6% and 40% smoked less than 6 months. Half of them (50.9%) smoked 5-9 cigarettes per day. Peer pressure was significantly high in smokers (83.6%); 42% had other addictions. The effect of parental smoking on smoking habits of the participants was quite evident among smokers (82%), which was significantly higher than nonsmokers (χ2=63.49, P<0.05). Peer pressure was the most important risk factor (57.69%) of initiation of smoking habit followed by parental influence (16.49%). Among morbidities of smokers, 60.6% were suffering from regular cough, 6% from bronchitis, and 2% had asthma. Conclusions : Our survey conducted on budding doctors surprisingly showed that undergraduate medical students smoke so much. |
