[Smoking in a sample of nursing students in Genoa. Reflections on the role of professional educators].
Of all European Union member states, Italy has one of the highest rates of smokers among health care personnel. One important step towards the development of a "prevention-oriented culture" is the raising of the awareness of professional working in health care structures in order to involve them in preventive actions, this making these more effective. Before undertaking measures of this kind, it is imperative to first assess the extent of the smoking habit, even at the local level, so as to target actions as precisely as possible. We herein present the results of a study carried out in two professional nursing schools of the Province of Genoa (I). In all, 341 subjects, aged between 18 and 34, were interviewed. Findings show a high percentage of smokers among both sexes, with 50.0% of males and 40.0% of females claiming to be smokers. These figures are well above national averages (32% of males and 26% of females in the national population). The age at which most interviewees began smoking ranged from 15 to 18 years; however, a rather high percentage of respondents (25.1% for males and 26.1% for females) began after 18 years of age. Our results confirm the importance of school age oriented health education programs, but highlight as well the usefulness of similar awareness initiatives for future professionals. The Italian League for the Fight Against Cancer and the Italian Association of Cancer Nurses propose to vocational training schools a collaborative effort aiming to promote healthy lifestyles among nursing students and to re-assess the role of trainers.
Pistone
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M
Lega Italiana per la Lotta Contro i Tumori, Agenzia di Educazione alla Salute, Genova.
Carpanelli
I
I
Gustavino
C
C
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006266:Health Education; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008611:Mentors; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D000074606:Smoking Prevention; D013338:Students, Nursing / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires