The effect of the COVİD-19 pandemic period on smoking habits in medical faculty students

Smoking addiction is one of the leading causes of preventable deaths worldwide and is a serious public health problem. In this study, it was aimed to investigate the smoking status of medical faculty students, the factors affecting their smoking status and the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic period on their smoking habits. 808 medical faculty students studying at our university were included in the study. A questionnaire was applied to the participants in which sociodemographic characteristics, smoking status, factors affecting smoking, smoking addiction levels, smoking cessation thought, and the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic period on smoking habits were questioned. Of the participants, 444 (%55) were female and 364 (%45) were male, with a mean age of 21,27±2.22 years (min:17-max:30). The smoking rate of the students was found to be %25,2. Smoker status of the participants; 4th,5th,6th grade students compared to the 1st, 2nd, 3rd grade students, it was found that the number of smokers among the 3 closest friends increased statistically significantly higher in males, those who stayed in a student house, those whose mothers had a university or higher education, those whose fathers smoked or quit smoking, and those who had a smoking sibling. The increase in the average number of daily cigarettes during the pandemic period was found to be significant. When the effects of the status of the students in the COVID-19 pandemic period on smoking were examined, a statistically significant relationship was found between the quarantine status in this period and the change in the income of the students and the change in the smoking use of the students. It was determined that %51,5 of the students tried to quit smoking during the COVID-19 pandemic period. In our study, the increase in the average number of daily cigarettes of medical faculty students during the COVID-19 pandemic period was found to be significant. Considering the difficulties experienced by medical school students during the pandemic process, there is a need to make working conditions safer and more supportive and to improve mental health services. In addition, it is necessary to strengthen smoking cessation services globally during the pandemic period when awareness of health problems increases.