Knowledge about tobacco smoking among medical students in Saudi Arabia: Findings from three medical schools

Hoda Jradi; Ali Al-Shehri

doi:10.1016/j.jegh.2014.04.001

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Volume 4, Issue 4, December 2014, Pages 269 - 276

Knowledge about tobacco smoking among medical students in Saudi Arabia: Findings from three medical schools

Authors

Hoda Jradi^*^,Hoda.jradi@gmail.com jradiho@ngha.med.sa, Ali Al-Shehri

Community and Environmental Health, College of Public health and Health Informatics, KSAU-HS, NGHA, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

^*Tel.: +966 1142 95423, mobile: +966 541341144.

Corresponding Author

Hoda JradiHoda.jradi@gmail.com jradiho@ngha.med.sa

Received 5 November 2013, Revised 30 March 2014, Accepted 6 April 2014, Available Online 6 June 2014.

DOI: 10.1016/j.jegh.2014.04.001 How to use a DOI?
Keywords: Tobacco; Smoking; Medical students; Saudi Arabia
Abstract: Introduction: Tobacco smoking is the leading cause of preventable death worldwide. Educating and training medical students about tobacco dependence prevention and treatment will prepare them for the task of helping smokers quit. In Saudi Arabia, little is known about medical students’ knowledge on this topic.

Methods: This study was conducted among 237 medical students (89% response rate) from three medical schools in Saudi Arabia. Students were asked to complete a 55-item questionnaire about the knowledge of smoking epidemiology, smoking cessation practice and benefits, and treatment of tobacco dependence.

Results: The majority of the students (91.4%) do not have adequate knowledge about the epidemiology of smoking. Students demonstrated a low knowledge of the health risks associated with tobacco use (average score 53%; SD = 11.6), a fair understanding of the benefits of smoking cessation, and insufficient information about treatment of tobacco dependence. Respondents thought they were adequately prepared to counsel their patients to quit smoking.

Conclusions: Medical students in Saudi Arabia are not well informed and trained in tobacco dependence and treatment. It is necessary to address this deficit by prioritizing these topics in medical education curricula.
Copyright: © 2014 Ministry of Health, Saudi Arabia. Published by Elsevier Ltd.
Open Access: This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).

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Journal: Journal of Epidemiology and Global Health
Volume-Issue: 4 - 4
Pages: 269 - 276
Publication Date: 2014/06/06
ISSN (Online): 2210-6014
ISSN (Print): 2210-6006
DOI: 10.1016/j.jegh.2014.04.001 How to use a DOI?
Open Access: This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).

Cite this article

ris enw bib

TY  - JOUR
AU  - Hoda Jradi
AU  - Ali Al-Shehri
PY  - 2014
DA  - 2014/06/06
TI  - Knowledge about tobacco smoking among medical students in Saudi Arabia: Findings from three medical schools
JO  - Journal of Epidemiology and Global Health
SP  - 269
EP  - 276
VL  - 4
IS  - 4
SN  - 2210-6014
UR  - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jegh.2014.04.001
DO  - 10.1016/j.jegh.2014.04.001
ID  - Jradi2014
ER  -

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