Smoking trends in medical students: Are they influenced by difference in gender and financial status?

ABSTRACT

Smoking trends in medical students and the influence of gender and financial status difference was studied in a survey in Peshawar. Total study population was 154 with 101[65.6%] males and 53[34.4%] females while 78[50.6%] and 76[49.4%] were regular and self-financed students respectively. The total number of smokers was 49[31.8%]. Out of the male and female students 38[37.6%] and 6[12.8%] were smokers respectively. The number of smokers among regular and self-financed students was 15[19.2%] and 34[44.7%] respectively. Majority of the smokers [74.5%] smoked less than 10 cigarettes / day and only a small minority smoked more than 20 cigarettes/ day. Despite the fact that overall 93.6% students were aware of even passive smoking hazards; still only 74.7% and 69.8% male students would favour a ban on smoking at public placed and on cigarette ads., respectively while the corresponding number of female students was 94.1% and 80.4%, respectively. 15[39.5%] and 6[33.3%] among the male and female students respectively, first smoked during their school life