Smoking habits of students of nursing: a questionnaire survey (2004-2006)

[Smoking prevalence among nursing students and nursing assistants in Mâcon: 2021 survey and evolution over 13 years]

INTRODUCTION

Smoking is a public health issue in France, especially among the young. Its specificities for caregivers and health students are part of a nationwide "Tobacco-free health place" strategy, underlining the importance of individual choices and the clinical roles of future health professionals.

METHOD

Prospective survey by online questionnaire, conducted in 2021 among 238 nursing students and nursing assistants in Mâcon, concerning their smoking habits, vaping and the impact of the Covid-19 health crisis, the objectives being to assess the prevalence of smoking in this population, and compare it to previous surveys and data from the literature. In addition, smoking-related behavior was observed.

RESULTS

One hundred and fifty-seven out of 238 students (66%), 95% of whom were women, responded to the questionnaire, with an average age of 25.1 years (SD: 7.7). Smoking prevalence was measured at 22%. This rate has fluctuated without declining in the surveys undertaken since 2008. Vaping was practiced by 8% of respondents, three-quarters of whom were also smokers. The health crisis appeared to have aggravated smoking habits among the future caregivers, two-fifths of whom considered it embarrassing for a caregiver to smoke, whatever their own smoking status.

CONCLUSIONS

Smoking prevalence has not declined in this predominantly female student population, with results similar to those elsewhere in France, Young generations of caregivers will be challenged from the standpoints of personal health and professional skills in their treatment of smokers, which it would be desirable for them to ensure without undue cognitive dissonance.

Knowledge, Attitudes, and Training in Tobacco Dependence and Cessation Treatment Among Nursing Students in Catalonia (ECTEC Study): Cross-Sectional Study

Nursing students are part of the future health labor force; thus, knowing their knowledge and participation in tobacco control is of importance. Multicentre cross-sectional study conducted to assess nursing students' knowledge, attitudes, and training in tobacco dependence and treatment at 15 nursing schools in Catalonia. We employed a self-administered questionnaire. 4,381 students participated. Few respondents (21.1%) knew how to assess smokers' nicotine dependence, and less than half (41.4%) knew about the smoking cessation therapies. Most (80%) had been educated on the health risks of smoking, 50% about the reasons why people smoke and, one third on how to provide cessation aid. Students in the last years of training were more likely to have received these two contents. Nursing students lack sufficient knowledge to assess and treat tobacco dependence and are rarely trained in such subjects. Nursing curricula in tobacco dependence and treatment should be strengthened to tackle the first preventable cause of disease worldwide.

Smoking in nursing students: A prevalence multicenter study

The role of nursing students as future health promoters of healthy behaviors is influenced by their attitude towards smoking. A cross-sectional study using a self-administered survey was performed to analyze smoking prevalence among undergraduate the nursing students who attend nursing faculties in 2 European countries (Spain and Portugal) during academic period 2015 to 2016. A total of 1469 subjects were surveyed (response rate of 79.8%). An 80% of the students were female with a mean age of 21.9 (4.8) years. The overall prevalence of tobacco use was 18.9%, with an average percentage of 16.2% in Portugal and 18.3% in Spain. Statistical significance was observed in relation to smoke and previous studies (16.4% vs 27.1%; P < .001). Only 1.1% of the students reported using electronic cigarette. 15.8% of smokers started smoking while at university with statistical gender and previous studies differences (P < .001). Fagerström and Richmond test showed low nicotine dependence (2.8 ± 2) and moderate motivation to stop smoking (4.9 ± 3), respectively. Smoking prevalence among nursing students was slightly higher than the general European population. For that reason, measures to reduce tobacco use have to be focused on students and university policies on tobacco control should be a challenge in the future.

Prevalence of smoking in nursing students worldwide: A meta-analysis of observational studies

BACKGROUND

Smoking is common among nursing students worldwide, but the reported prevalence is inconsistent across epidemiological studies. This is a meta-analysis of the prevalence of smoking in nursing students worldwide.

DESIGN

Meta-analysis of observational studies.

SAMPLE

A total of 46 studies were included in this meta-analysis.

METHOD

Electronic databases (PubMed, Medline, PsycINFO, EMBASE and Web of science) were independently and systematically searched by two investigators from their commencement date up to 12 May 2018. Studies that reported the smoking rate of nursing students were included and analyzed using random-effects model.

RESULTS

The pooled prevalence of current smoking was 26.6% (95% CI: 22.9-30.4%), while pooled prevalence of previous smoking was 15.5% (95% CI: 11.8-19.3%). Subgroup analyses showed that smoking rate was higher in male compared with female students (39% vs 25.2%, P < .001), while survey time, sample size, age, study design and academic year did not moderate the smoking rate (all P > .05).

CONCLUSION

This meta-analysis confirmed that smoking is common in nursing students. Considering the negative impact of smoking on health, appropriate smoking cessation measures for nursing students should be developed.

Prevalence and determinants of tobacco, e-cigarettes, and cannabis use among nursing students: A multicenter cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Nurses are important agents in public health, which includes being active in tobacco control. Studies show that nurses who smoke are less inclined to offer smoking cessation aid. Nursing students, as the future labor force of nursing, are one of the key groups to monitor.

OBJECTIVES

To identify the prevalence and determinants of use of several tobacco products, e-cigarettes, and cannabis among nursing students in Catalonia.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional multicenter study.

SETTINGS

15 university nursing schools in Catalonia (Spain) in 2015-2016.

PARTICIPANTS

Nursing students attending class at the day of the survey.

METHODS

An anonymous, self-administered questionnaire based on the Global Health Professional Survey was designed. The questions included information on consumption of several tobacco products (manufactured cigarettes, roll your own cigarettes, etc.), e-cigarettes, and cannabis. We estimated the prevalence of use (%) and computed multilevel logistic regressions models, at two levels, to calculate the odds ratios (OR) and their corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CI), adjusting for several individual sociodemographic variables and the nursing school as a grouping variable.

RESULTS

4381 students participated in the study (57.2% of Nursing students in Catalonia at the time of the survey). 29.7% (95%CI: 27.2-32.2) were smokers (18.4% daily and 11.3% occasionally). 66.4% smoked manufactured cigarettes, 47.0% roll your own cigarettes, 10.0% waterpipe, and 0.4% e-cigarettes. The main predictors of smoking were: being ≥25 years (OR = 2.57, 95%CI: 2.03-3.26) and belonging to other Spanish regions (OR = 1.82, 95%CI: 1.30-2.54). 71.5% had low nicotine dependence as defined by the Heavy Smoking Index. Among 11.5% (95%CI: 10.6-12.4) of students used cannabis (daily or occasionally), and men presented higher odds of use (OR = 2.81, 95%CI: 2.11-3.73) than women.

CONCLUSIONS

Tobacco and cannabis use is high among nursing students. It is necessary to carry out early tobacco and cannabis cessation programs among young nursing students.

What works to encourage student nurses to adopt healthier lifestyles? Findings from an intervention study

The health and lifestyles of student nurses has been widely explored internationally finding relatively high levels of smoking, low levels of physical activity and unhealthy diets. Not only does this have implications for productivity, personal health and the ability to do the demanding job of nursing, but unhealthy behaviours are also associated with a reluctance to undertake health promotion in their roles. Stress, time constraints and the irregular routine of nurse training were cited as barriers to a healthy lifestyle. Three types of accessible interventions were piloted to encourage the adoption of healthier lifestyles by student nurses: an educational session on having 'healthy conversations' with patients, an accelerometer to record steps, and an online personal wellness tracker. There was low take up of the offers designed to motivate behaviour change but students did welcome the educational input on how to have a 'healthy conversation' with a patient. This project highlights the need to incorporate programmes that addresses student nurses' health behaviours within nurse education, and at salient time points (e.g. induction or just before going on placement) over the course of study.

[Smoking behavior, knowledge, and attitudes towards anti-smoking regulations of nursing students in Sousse, Tunisia]

BACKGROUND

Smoking prevalence has reached high rates among health professionals. Our study aimed to assess smoking behavior, knowledge and attitudes towards anti-smoking regulations of nursing students.

METHODS

In 2013, we conducted a cross-sectional study among nursing students enrolled in private and state nursing institutions of Sousse (Tunisia).

RESULTS

In our study, 440 students were selected. The mean age was 22 ± 2 years. The sex ratio was 0.65. The prevalence of smoking was 20.6%. It was significantly higher in men than women (50% vs 4.5%, P < 10(-3)). Strong dependency was noted in 9%. One-third of smokers stated they wanted to quit smoking. Prohibiting the sale of cigarettes to minors and smoking in enclosed public places were the two most mentioned anti-smoking regulations.

CONCLUSION

Our rate was lower than those reported in the literature. This result should encourage policymakers to continue actions and ensure sustainability.

Changes in use, knowledge, beliefs and attitudes relating to tobacco among nursing and physiotherapy students: a 10-year analysis

AIM

To analyse changes in prevalence, knowledge, beliefs and attitudes relating to smoking among undergraduate nursing and physiotherapy students over a 10-year period.

BACKGROUND

Few studies have been performed to describe changes in the use of tobacco and associated characteristics.

DESIGN

This study was a sequential cross-sectional study.

METHODS

A self-administered survey was performed during three academic years among nursing and physiotherapy students in a Spanish Faculty of Health Sciences.

FINDINGS

The proportion of smokers among nursing and physiotherapy students in 2003, 2008 and 2013 was 29·3%, 24·7% and 18·2% respectively. The ages when participants first smoked did not vary over the years. The Fagerström test showed low nicotine dependence. A significantly high percentage of students stated they were unaware of the link between smoking and bladder cancer and oral leukoplakia. Students declared they were unaware of the association between under-weight new-borns and second-hand smoke. The majority of students recognized that healthcare professionals were role models in society, there being little variation over the years studied. In relation to education and training, the study showed a need to inform students about methods and strategies to help people quit smoking.

CONCLUSIONS

The prevalence of smoking among nursing and physiotherapy students decreased over the ten years. Active programmes should be implemented to encourage those university students who smoke to break this habit. The decline over the years in knowledge about smoking provided evidence of a significant deficit in undergraduate training.

Knowledge, attitudes and tobacco use among nursing and physiotherapy students

BACKGROUND

As future health educators, nursing and physiotherapy students will play an essential role in the prevention of smoking.

AIM

To determine the prevalence of smoking among students and to analyse their knowledge of and attitudes towards smoking.

METHOD

This was a descriptive cross-sectional study using an anonymous questionnaire and conducted in a Spanish Faculty of Health Sciences in 2013.

FINDINGS

247 nursing and physiotherapy students (82.33%) participated in the study. The global prevalence of smoking (18.2%) was lower compare with the general population group of the same age. We have observed statistical significance in relation to previous studies. Nursing and physiotherapy students showed a low nicotine dependence. We found a lack of knowledge about the harmful effects of cigarette consumption on health. Statistically significant results were also found in relation to degree courses (p < 0.01) as regards students' opinions about their knowledge of strategies and methods to help patients stop smoking.

CONCLUSION

Most students started smoking before commencing their university studies; consequently, interventions should focus on cessation programmes. An analysis of university curricula leading to the award of a degree in the health sciences could serve to identify educational deficiencies in order to implement the necessary modifications.

IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING AND HEALTH POLICY

This paper presents an update in tobacco use characteristics amongst nursing and physiotherapy students. Those results have showed a need to improve the curricula in order to develop specific programmes to improve knowledge, attitudes and beliefs. Measures to prevent smoking must be taken at school.

Lifestyle and health among Spanish university students: differences by gender and academic discipline

Today the need to analyze health behaviour from a gender perspective is as imminent as ever, particularly at university, where the number of women who register is on the rise and has exceeded the number of male students worldwide. We carried out a prevalence study aimed at analyzing Spanish university students’ lifestyles and identify differences according to gender and academic discipline. Of 3,646 eligible subjects doing university courses related to health (Group A), education (Group B) and other professions (Group C), 985 (27.0%) participated in the study. Information was elicited about their physical activity level, disturbed eating attitudes, consumption of alcohol, tobacco and illegal substances. Prevalence and Odds Ratios (OR) were calculated according to sex and kind of academic discipline. The obtained data confirmed that only 27.4% of the students were considered as sufficiently active, while 14.9% of them suffered from disturbed eating attitudes (DEA). Women were particularly less active (OR 0.46 (0.32–0.66); p < 0.0001), and more sedentary than men (OR 1.40 (1.00–1.97); p = 0.03). Binge drinking was more frequent in female than in male students (OR 1.79 (1.29–2.47); p = 0.0004). A third of the analyzed sample admitted that they had used illegal substances, while a lower consumption prevalence was found in women (OR 0.53 (0.40–0.71); p < 0.0001). The studied population was not very active (27.4%), especially women (OR = 0.45). Therefore, it seems that Spanish university students lead an unhealthy lifestyle, a situation which seems more conspicuous amongst females.