IADR Abstract Archives
Latin American health professions students, including dental students, with an alarming high prevalence of current cigarette smoking and secondhand smoke exposure.
Objectives: Cigarette smoking among health professions students, including dental students, is of particular concern because of the important role that these future professionals can play in tobacco prevention and cessation efforts in low- and middle- income countries, where 80% of the smokers live. Our objective was to describe smoking behaviors, secondhand smoke exposure, and tobacco-related risk factors (eg., knowledge, attitude, etc.), among health professions students in Latin America.
Methods: In this cross-sectional study we analyzed data from the Global Health Professions Student Survey (GHPSS) collected from Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Uruguay, and Venezuela. Frequency distribution, mean, and standard deviation, as well as proportions, were calculated.
Results: Among the 11,571 health professions students pursuing careers in Dentistry, Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, Kinesiology, and Obstetrics, 93% believe that health professionals should be trained on smoking cessation. However, only 7% believe that health professionals should serve as "role models" for their patients and the public. Alarmingly, 28% of the respondents had smoked at least 1 day during the pat 30 days (current smokers) and 48% were exposed to secondhand smoke in the place where they live.
Conclusions: The continued toll of suffering, disease and premature death resulting from tobacco use requires effective and concerted action. Worldwide, health professionals (including dental practitioners) are trusted and respected as opinion leaders with the ability to impact social norms and assist with smoking cessation. However, it is known that health professional who smoke are less likely to assist their patients in their quitting efforts. Therefore, denormalization of the tobacco culture among health professions students in Latin America is critical in order to have these future health professionals proactively involve in any tobacco prevention and cessation effort.
Methods: In this cross-sectional study we analyzed data from the Global Health Professions Student Survey (GHPSS) collected from Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Uruguay, and Venezuela. Frequency distribution, mean, and standard deviation, as well as proportions, were calculated.
Results: Among the 11,571 health professions students pursuing careers in Dentistry, Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, Kinesiology, and Obstetrics, 93% believe that health professionals should be trained on smoking cessation. However, only 7% believe that health professionals should serve as "role models" for their patients and the public. Alarmingly, 28% of the respondents had smoked at least 1 day during the pat 30 days (current smokers) and 48% were exposed to secondhand smoke in the place where they live.
Conclusions: The continued toll of suffering, disease and premature death resulting from tobacco use requires effective and concerted action. Worldwide, health professionals (including dental practitioners) are trusted and respected as opinion leaders with the ability to impact social norms and assist with smoking cessation. However, it is known that health professional who smoke are less likely to assist their patients in their quitting efforts. Therefore, denormalization of the tobacco culture among health professions students in Latin America is critical in order to have these future health professionals proactively involve in any tobacco prevention and cessation effort.