Tobacco Use Among Medical and Non-Medical Students in Kolkata
Author Information
Author(s): Chatterjee T., Haldar D., Mallik S., Sarkar G. N., Das S., Lahiri S. K.
Primary Institution: Department of Community Medicine and Paediatrics, BMC, Burdan, India
Hypothesis
What is the pattern of tobacco use among medical and non-medical college students?
Conclusion
Tobacco use is significantly lower among medical students compared to non-medical students, but the medical environment is not fully effective in eliminating tobacco use.
Supporting Evidence
- 18.3% of medical students reported tobacco use compared to 43.3% of non-medical students.
- Smoking prevalence was 14.9% among medical students versus 40.7% among non-medical students.
- Curiosity was the main reason for starting tobacco use among students.
- More than two-thirds of current users expressed a desire to quit.
Takeaway
Medical students smoke less than non-medical students, but many still use tobacco, and we need better ways to help everyone quit.
Methodology
A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted with anonymous data collected from students using a self-administered questionnaire.
Potential Biases
Potential bias due to self-selection and social desirability in reporting tobacco use.
Limitations
The study relied on self-reported data, which may be subject to bias.
Participant Demographics
Participants included 515 medical students and 349 non-medical students, predominantly aged 19-24 years.
Statistical Information
P-Value
<0.002
Confidence Interval
95% CI: 14.97–21.63 for medical students; 95% CI: 38.4–48.8% for non-medical students.
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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