Tobacco use amongst nursing and physiotherapy students: a cross sectional questionnaire survey.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this research was to evaluate the prevalence, knowledge and attitudes of tobacco use in the students of the School of Health Sciences in the Campus of Ponferrada (University of León, Spain). Two-hundred and sixty-six (88.3% of respondents) students were assessed by a confidential questionnaire, which was distributed, completed by the students and collected in the same session.


METHODS
This was a descriptive quantitative survey research design to examine the tobacco use among nursing and physiotherapy students.


RESULTS
The global prevalence was 29.3%. In relation to academic courses we have observed statistical significance (p=0.006). Therefore students increased tobacco use while their training at the school. Seventy (89.7%) of students were smokers prior to commencing degree. Nursing students declared were unfamiliar with strategies and methods to help people to quit. The first academic course students (78.6%) significantly differed (p=0.009) from second and third course. We have found scores statistically significant (p=0.04) about the students opinion about health professionals social role function.


CONCLUSIONS
Tobacco consumption in university health students in the third year was higher than people aged 16-24 years old reported from the National Health Survey. The findings showed a great need to improve the curricular content in the area of tobacco including information, prevention, and treatment.
Fernández García
Daniel
D
School of Health Sciences, Department of Nursing and Physiotherapy, Campus of Ponferrada, University of León, Spain. danielfg@unileon.es
Martín Sánchez
Vicente
V
Vázquez Casares
Ana M
AM
Liébana Presa
Cristina
C
Fernández Martínez
M Elena
ME
De Luis González
José Manuel
JM
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003479:Curriculum; D004508:Education, Nursing, Baccalaureate; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D026761:Physical Therapy Specialty / Q000193:education; D015995:Prevalence; D024382:Professional Role; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D016540:Smoking Cessation; D000074606:Smoking Prevention; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D013336:Students, Health Occupations / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013338:Students, Nursing / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014495:Universities