A Comparative Study On Knowledge Of Smoking Hazards And Smoking Behavior Between Medical College And Non-Medical College Students

Background Tobacco epidemic is one of the most serious public health problems in the world.About 600 million people died from tobacco-related causes each year, of which there are more than 500 million people died from direct use of tobacco, and over 60 million from second-hand smoking. The number of current smokers in China (350 million) ranks the first in the whole world. Tobacco use is also one of the most serious public health problems in China. Controlling tobacco use among the adolescents is the most effective measure to reduce mortality caused by smoking. The smoking behavior of medical students, who will act as health personnel in the future and also an important role in tobacco use controlling, have higher negative effects. This study aims to compare smoking behavior between medical college and non-medical college students, analyze the risk factors for moking behavior,so as to provide evidence for policy making of prevention and control smoking behaviors.Objectives To describe the prevalence of smoking behavior and knowlege of smoking behavior hazard among medical and non-medical college students, and analyze its influencing factors so as to provide scientific evidence for developing policies to prevent and control tobacco use.Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted in a medical and non-medical college.1638 students were anonymously interviewed by trained personnel using self-designed questionnaire which including general population characteristics, negative life event information, smoking behavior, alcohol drinking behavior, as well as knowledge of tobacco hazards and attitude towards smoking behavior of people around.Results 1638 valid questionnaires were received from two colleges including 885 medical majors and 753 non-medical majors. Medical majors are consist of 10 disciplines such as clinical medicine, preventive medicine etc. Non-medical majors consist of 5 disciplines such as statistics, manage science and engineering etc.The attempting smoking rate in medical students and non-medical students was respectively 16.0% and 17.0%, no significant difference was found(p>0.05). The attempting smoking rate in Male college students and female college students was respectively 34.5% and 4.6%, the difference was statistically significant (p<0.05). The smoking rates in grade 1-5 students were 8.4%,13.0%, 17.9%,26.6% and 32.7%, smoking rates and grades are positive related, the difference was statistically significant (p<0.05).There was no significant difference on iniatial stages of smoking, average daily smoking level, smoking expenditure and willingness of quiting among students who are smokers (p> 0.05); still no significant difference was found on average age of quiting smoking and quiting motivation among students who were smokers(p> 0.05).In multiple regression analysis, factors as grade (p=0.002、0.001、0.042), health status(p=0.038、0.020), been punished or not(p=0.001), been experenced a fail relationship or not (p=0.010), total negative life events (p=0.013) and alcohol drinking (p=0.043) was found significantly effecting on smoking behavior(p<0.05) among medical students; factors as grade (p=0.000、0.005、 0.002), health status (p=0.003、0.009), daily online time (p=0.000、0.002) been experenced a fail relationship or not (p=0.013), total negative life events (p=0.008) and alcohol drinking (p=0.004) was found significantly effecting on smoking behavior among non-medical students(p<0.05).Medical students achieved a significant higher score of smoking hazard knowledge than non-medical students. (Z=-5.746, p= 0.000); Medical students also achieved a significant higher scores of attitude toward smoking behaviors of people around than non-medical students. (Z=-5.256, p= 0.000)Conclusion The smoking rates of two colleges are below the national average, male smoking rate was significantly higher than female smokidng rate, high-grade students’ smoking rate was significantly higher than low-grade smoking rate. Therefore, tobacco control performance should focus on key populations.Although medical students achieved a higher awareness rate of smoking hazard knowledge than non-medical students, but medical students’knowledge on smoking hazard are not enough. Therefore, whether in medical or non-medical colleges, teachers should strengthen the knowledge of smoking-related education, with taking vivid teaching methods and exploring effective health promotion model on tabacco control.