Tobacco use patterns and tobacco-related awareness in medical students of Delhi

Background: Tobacco use is globally one of the leading preventable causes of premature death, disease, and disability. Tobacco use among health professionals is a key interest domain in the area of tobacco-related surveillance since physicians have a pivotal role in tobacco cessation. The objectives of this study were to determine the prevalence of tobacco use among the undergraduate male medical students and assess their awareness of anti-smoking legislation in India. Material and methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study among male undergraduate medical (M.B.B.S) students at a premier medical college in New Delhi, India during Jan-Dec' 2015. A total of 302 students completed the self-administered questionnaire. We analyzed the data on SPSS 17. Results: The prevalence of tobacco (cigarette) smoking in medical students was 9.3%. There were 203 (67.2%) students aged below 20 years. Tobacco smoking in the students increased with age and professional year indicating initiation into smoking during college-life. Tobacco use was also significantly higher in the students living in hostels compared to those living with their families (p = 0.004). Ninety-four (31.1%) students were unaware that smoking causes lung cancer and 159 (52.6%) students did not consider smoking as a causal risk factor for coronary heart disease. A total of 205 (67.9%) students were aware of the existence of a tobacco control law in India and 258 (85.4%) had knowledge of the ban on smoking in public places. Conclusion: Tobacco usage and the gaps in awareness of its harmful effects among medical students represents a major health concern.