Assessing the readiness to integrate tobacco control in medical curriculum: experiences from five medical colleges in Southern India.
BACKGROUND
Making tobacco cessation a normative part of all clinical practice is the only way to substantially reduce tobacco-related deaths and the burden of tobacco-related morbidity in the short term. This study was undertaken because information on receptivity to integrate tobacco control education in the medical curriculum is extremely limited in low- and middle-income countries.


METHODS
From five medical colleges (two government) in southern India, 713 (men 59%) faculty and 2585 (men 48%) students participated in our cross-sectional survey. Information on self-reported tobacco use and readiness to integrate tobacco control education in the medical curriculum was collected from both the faculty and students using a pretested structured questionnaire. Multiple logistic regression analysis was done to find the associated factors.


RESULTS
Current smoking was reported by 9.0% (95% CI 6.6-12.1) of men faculty and 13.7% (CI 11.8-15.9) by men students. Faculty who were teaching tobacco-related topics [odds ratio (OR) 2.29; 95% CI 1.65-3.20] compared to those who were not, faculty in government colleges (OR 1.69; CI 1.22-2.35) compared to those in private colleges and medical pecialists (OR 1.79; CI 1.23-2.59) compared to surgical and non-clinical specialists were more likely to be ready to integrate tobacco control education in the medical curriculum. Non-smoking students (OR 2.58; CI 2.01-3.33) compared to smokers, and women students (OR 1.80; CI 1.50-2.17) compared to men were more likely to be ready to integrate a tobacco control education in the curriculum.


CONCLUSIONS
Faculty and students are receptive to introduce tobacco control in the medical curriculum. Government faculty, medical specialists and faculty who already teach tobacco-related topics are likely to be early introducers of this new curriculum.
Achutha Menon Centre for Health Science Studies (AMCHSS), Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Science and Technology (SCTIMST), Thiruvananthapuram 695011, Kerala, India. Quit Tobacco India Project.
K R
KR
Thankappan
T R
TR
Yamini
G K
GK
Mini
C
C
Arthur
P
P
Sairu
K
K
Leelamoni
M
M
Sani
B
B
Unnikrishnan
S R
SR
Basha
M
M
Nichter
D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003479:Curriculum; D004501:Education, Medical; D005180:Faculty, Medical; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D008297:Male; D012907:Smoking; D016540:Smoking Cessation; D013337:Students, Medical / Q000523:psychology*