Attitudes of cairo university medical students toward smoking: the need for tobacco control programs in medical education

Tobacco smoking rates are increasing in developing countries and so are tobacco-related chronic diseases. Reported figures from the WHO show rates of smoking in Egypt as high as 20% but limited information is available about smoking specifically among physicians and medical students. Final-year medical students of Cairo University were surveyed regarding their tobacco behavior and attitudes using a modified Global Health Professions Student Survey. We approached 220 students by randomly selecting clinical units into which they were assigned and requested completion of the survey. Ever users of some form of tobacco comprised 46.7% of students sampled, current users of cigarettes comprised 17.4%, and current users of water pipe 'sheesha' comprised 17.6%. The vast majority [87.7%] of students believed that smoking is a public health problem in Cairo and supported restriction of tobacco. Yet, only 58.5% stated that they were taught it is important for physicians to provide tobacco education materials to patients. Among ever users of cigarettes, 54.4% believed health professionals do not serve as health role models for patients, and only a small percentage of all students [34.2%] stated that they had received some form of training on smoking cessation in their medical curriculum to be able to instruct patients. A high rate of smoking was revealed among medical students in Cairo. Overall, approximately 23.4% of students were currently smoking cigarettes and/or sheesha, and 46.7% were ever users of some form of tobacc o. A formal antitobacco program for medical students should be incorporated into their medical curriculum to change the attitudes of medical students and overcome the anticipated increase in chronic diseases in Egypt

Effect of training programs on some pulmonary functions and physical work capacity of students of faculty of physical education of Assiut University

This study included 400 students of Faculty of Physical Education of Assuit University of both sexes. It was carried out to study the effect of the Faculty training program on some pulmonary function test, maximum oxygen consumption [VO[2max]], physical work capacity [PWC[170]], ratio and oxygen saturation. The study showed the following: Pulmonary function test values: at the start of the studying year, the mean values of pulmonary function test showed non-significant change in all studied groups after Karpman test on comparing with those before it [males and females]. The values of male and female students significantly increased with training progress [from the start of the training period till the end of twenty week]. The values of the fourth year [male and female] students were significantly higher than that of the first year students. The values of male students were higher than that of the female among all studied grades. Physical work capacity [PWC[170]] and VO[2max]: the mean values of [PWC[170]] and VO[2max] of all students [male and female] were progressively increased with training period from the start of the studying year to the period of ten weeks after the start. After that, no significant changes could be recorded on comparing with that after twenty week. The mean values of the fourth year students were the highest while the first year values are the lowest both in male and female students, The mean values of male were higher than that of the female in all studied groups. The ratio [PWC[170] to the weight]: the mean values of the ratio [PWC[170] to the weight] of both male and female students increased progressively with the training period till the end of the twenty weeks, The mean values of female ratio were higher than that of the male in all studied groups. Oxygen saturation: the mean values of both male and female students were not affected by training progress. The mean values of oxygen saturation of male students were significantly higher than that of female students. There was non-significance decrease in oxygen saturation in both male and female students after Karpman test