title: [Factors associated with the use of tobacco among students of the Medical Sciences School, University of Puerto Rico].
abstract: The objective of this study is to evaluate associated factors related to cigarette smoking in students of the Medical Sciences Campus, University of Puerto Rico. One hundred eighty-nine students, registered in the summer session, participated in the study. A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect the information. For the data analysis descriptive statistics were used, as well as Pearson Chi Square and Mann-Whitney test. The results showed that 12.2% of the participants are smokers at the moment of the study. Most of the smokers stated that the main reason they smoke was for stress reduction and psychological addiction. A statistical association was encountered between the cigarette use and exposure of information (X2Fisher (1) = 4.65, p = 0.02). We conclude that the participants smoke as an adaptative response to the daily stressors that impact the academic setting.
authors.affiliation: Programas de Educación en Salud, Recinto de Ciencias Médicas, PO Box 365067, San Juan, PR 00936-5067.
authors.forename: Nardy I
authors.initials: NI
authors.lastname: Vélez González
authors.forename: Virginia
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Vázquez García
authors.forename: René R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Dávila Torres
authors.forename: Marcilyn
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Colón Colón
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011647:Puerto Rico; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology*; D013334:Students; D014495:Universities