Socio-demographic factors associated with smoking habits among university students in Belgrade, Serbia
Abstract
Background: Smoking rates in Serbian adults are among the highest in Europe. The objective of this study is to assess the prevalence of smoking and smoking-related behaviours of Belgrade University students depending on their sociodemographic characteristics and faculty group. Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out among 2,608 Belgrade University students (59.6% female) in 2015. A self-administered questionnaire was applied to the opportunity sample to collect the data describing students' smoking habits and attitudes across all 30 faculties of the university. Results: 30.5% of students reported smoking: 26.4% of medical, and 31.1% of non-medical ones. Smoking rate among female students was 31.2% vs. 29.5% among males. Age (p=0.001), relationship ( lt 0.001) and employment status (p=0.002) had statistically significant influence on smoking status, while the differences in smoking status between genders (p=0.141) and medical and non-medical group of students (p=0.066) were not... statistically significant. The highest percentage of students started smoking during high school (66.2%). As the most common reason to start smoking, respondents cited peer influence (36.5%). 44.3% of students who smoked unsuccessfully tried to quit smoking. Conclusion: To combat high smoking prevalence among a younger population, the formal education of students about the adverse impacts of smoking should be integrated in all active anti-smoking programs. Medical students, as future healthcare professionals, can play an important role in smoking rates reduction among both younger and general populations, if properly trained and educated about smoking prevention and cessation techniques.
Keywords:
students / faculties / smoking / tobaccoSource:
ZDRAVSTVENO VARSTVO, 2019, 58, 1, 11-20Publisher:
- Inst Public Health Republic Slovenia, Ljubljana
DOI: 10.2478/sjph-2019-0002
ISSN: 0351-0026
PubMed: 30745946
WoS: 000457497700002
Scopus: 2-s2.0-85061136316
Collections
Institution/Community
PharmacyTY - JOUR AU - Milošević-Georgiev, Andrijana AU - Kotur-Stevuljević, Jelena AU - Krajnović, Dušanka PY - 2019 UR - https://farfar.pharmacy.bg.ac.rs/handle/123456789/3331 AB - Background: Smoking rates in Serbian adults are among the highest in Europe. The objective of this study is to assess the prevalence of smoking and smoking-related behaviours of Belgrade University students depending on their sociodemographic characteristics and faculty group. Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out among 2,608 Belgrade University students (59.6% female) in 2015. A self-administered questionnaire was applied to the opportunity sample to collect the data describing students' smoking habits and attitudes across all 30 faculties of the university. Results: 30.5% of students reported smoking: 26.4% of medical, and 31.1% of non-medical ones. Smoking rate among female students was 31.2% vs. 29.5% among males. Age (p=0.001), relationship ( lt 0.001) and employment status (p=0.002) had statistically significant influence on smoking status, while the differences in smoking status between genders (p=0.141) and medical and non-medical group of students (p=0.066) were not statistically significant. The highest percentage of students started smoking during high school (66.2%). As the most common reason to start smoking, respondents cited peer influence (36.5%). 44.3% of students who smoked unsuccessfully tried to quit smoking. Conclusion: To combat high smoking prevalence among a younger population, the formal education of students about the adverse impacts of smoking should be integrated in all active anti-smoking programs. Medical students, as future healthcare professionals, can play an important role in smoking rates reduction among both younger and general populations, if properly trained and educated about smoking prevention and cessation techniques. PB - Inst Public Health Republic Slovenia, Ljubljana T2 - ZDRAVSTVENO VARSTVO T1 - Socio-demographic factors associated with smoking habits among university students in Belgrade, Serbia VL - 58 IS - 1 SP - 11 EP - 20 DO - 10.2478/sjph-2019-0002 ER -
@article{ author = "Milošević-Georgiev, Andrijana and Kotur-Stevuljević, Jelena and Krajnović, Dušanka", year = "2019", abstract = "Background: Smoking rates in Serbian adults are among the highest in Europe. The objective of this study is to assess the prevalence of smoking and smoking-related behaviours of Belgrade University students depending on their sociodemographic characteristics and faculty group. Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out among 2,608 Belgrade University students (59.6% female) in 2015. A self-administered questionnaire was applied to the opportunity sample to collect the data describing students' smoking habits and attitudes across all 30 faculties of the university. Results: 30.5% of students reported smoking: 26.4% of medical, and 31.1% of non-medical ones. Smoking rate among female students was 31.2% vs. 29.5% among males. Age (p=0.001), relationship ( lt 0.001) and employment status (p=0.002) had statistically significant influence on smoking status, while the differences in smoking status between genders (p=0.141) and medical and non-medical group of students (p=0.066) were not statistically significant. The highest percentage of students started smoking during high school (66.2%). As the most common reason to start smoking, respondents cited peer influence (36.5%). 44.3% of students who smoked unsuccessfully tried to quit smoking. Conclusion: To combat high smoking prevalence among a younger population, the formal education of students about the adverse impacts of smoking should be integrated in all active anti-smoking programs. Medical students, as future healthcare professionals, can play an important role in smoking rates reduction among both younger and general populations, if properly trained and educated about smoking prevention and cessation techniques.", publisher = "Inst Public Health Republic Slovenia, Ljubljana", journal = "ZDRAVSTVENO VARSTVO", title = "Socio-demographic factors associated with smoking habits among university students in Belgrade, Serbia", volume = "58", number = "1", pages = "11-20", doi = "10.2478/sjph-2019-0002" }
Milošević-Georgiev, A., Kotur-Stevuljević, J.,& Krajnović, D.. (2019). Socio-demographic factors associated with smoking habits among university students in Belgrade, Serbia. in ZDRAVSTVENO VARSTVO Inst Public Health Republic Slovenia, Ljubljana., 58(1), 11-20. https://doi.org/10.2478/sjph-2019-0002
Milošević-Georgiev A, Kotur-Stevuljević J, Krajnović D. Socio-demographic factors associated with smoking habits among university students in Belgrade, Serbia. in ZDRAVSTVENO VARSTVO. 2019;58(1):11-20. doi:10.2478/sjph-2019-0002 .
Milošević-Georgiev, Andrijana, Kotur-Stevuljević, Jelena, Krajnović, Dušanka, "Socio-demographic factors associated with smoking habits among university students in Belgrade, Serbia" in ZDRAVSTVENO VARSTVO, 58, no. 1 (2019):11-20, https://doi.org/10.2478/sjph-2019-0002 . .