Tobacco use and knowledge of lung disease risks in medical students: Implications for medical education

Abstract

Objective: Smoking is one of the most important causes of preventable deaths and plays a major role in the development of various pulmonary diseases. This study aimed to evaluate the smoking habits and knowledge levels of medical students in clinical training regarding smoking-related lung diseases.

Methodology: This study was designed as a cross-sectional, questionnaire-based survey. A total of 290 volunteer medical students in their fourth, fifth, and sixth years of education at Harran University Faculty of Medicine were included in the study. Participants were administered a questionnaire inquiring about sociodemographic characteristics, smoking status, and smoking-related lung diseases. Data were analyzed using the SPSS program, and the chi-square test was applied for categorical variables.

Results: The mean age of the students was 23.57±1.82, and 30.3% were smokers. The smoking rate was higher among males (75% male, 25% female) and increased with grade level (highest in 6th grade). Most students recognized the relationship between smoking and lung cancer (93.8%) and COPD (93.4%), while fewer associated smoking with asthma (70.0%), interstitial lung diseases (63.4%), pneumonia (61.4%), pneumothorax (52.8%), and tuberculosis (42.1%). A significant difference among the class levels was observed only in the recognition of the smoking–pneumothorax relationship (p<0.05).

Conclusions: Cigarette smoking is high among medical students and increases particularly in the upper classes. Although the relationship between smoking and lung cancer and COPD is well known, there are gaps in knowledge regarding its relationship with other lung diseases. More comprehensive and structured education on the health consequences of smoking should be integrated into medical training to better prepare future physicians for tobacco control.