Assessment of Smoking Prevalence, Awareness, and Addiction Risk Factors in Medical Students of Hyderabad.

Abstract

Objective: To assess the prevalence of smoking habits among medical students in Hyderabad, their level of knowledge
regarding health hazards associated with smoking, and the determinants associated with smoking.
Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted among medical students of Isra University, Hyderabad, Pakistan,
using a simple random sampling technique. A total of 312 participants were included in the study. Data were collected
using a self-structured, pre-tested questionnaire, and internal consistency was assessed using Cronbach’s alpha (α =
0.78). Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 26, and a p-value ≤0.05 was considered statistically significant.
Results: Out enrolled medical students, 28.2% were current smokers, 33.3% were former smokers, and 38.5% were
non-smokers. The highest smoking was observed in the age group of 21-25 years. Out of the total current smokers,
45.5% were smoking between 5 and 10 cigarettes per day. According to the results of the regression analysis, nonsmoker
students were found to have greater knowledge compared to their counterparts (β = 6.78, p = 0.012).
Conclusion: It was observed that medical students are smoking despite being aware of the health hazards associated
with smoking. Peer pressure, stress, and nicotine addiction were found to be the key factors associated with smoking. It
is recommended that tobacco cessation programs and stress management techniques be introduced in medical colleges
for medical students.
Keywords: Smoking, Tobacco Use Disorder, Prevalence, Risk Factors, Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice.