Smoking prevalence among Mugla School of Health Sciences students in Mugla University and the increasing causes of smoking

Abstract:

Aim. The purpose of this study was to determine the smoking prevalence among Mugla School of Health Sciences students, to determine the effects the increasing causes of smoking  and their education about adverse health outcome of smoking.

Method. A cross-sectional study was performed among Mugla School of Health Sciences students in Mugla University.  All students (417) in Mugla School of Health Sciences included in the study. The participation rates was 85.1%. Data were obtained by the self-administered questionnaire without teachers in classes. SPSS 11.0 was used for data analysis, and the differentiation was assessed by Chi-square analysis. P < 0.05 was accepted statistically significant.

Results. The prevalence of current smokers was 25.3% among students in Mugla School of Health Sciences. The students stated that the most important factor of smoking initiation was stress (59.2%). The univariable analysis showed that the friends’ smoking (p: 0.000) , having knowledge about smoking habits of teachers(p: 0.020) , alcohol consumption (p: 0.000), and other smokers out of parent in the home (p: 0.000)  was significantly associated with increasing rate of smoking prevalence.

Conclusion. The smoking prevalence was quite high (25.3%) among Mugla School of Health Sciences students in Mugla University. It is needed to decreasing smoking prevalence among students that antismoking education should be reevaluated, that antismoking campaign should be administered in schools.

Keywords: health sciences students, smoking prevalence, causes of smoking.