3/2007The knowledge level of smoking harmfulness in the 6th year medical students of Wroclaw Medical University

ALICJA JASIŃSKA (Dolnośląskie Centrum Chorób Płuc we Wrocławiu; Dyrektor: Halina Kufel)

Background
The main aim of health promotion and diseases prophylaxis is a struggle with smoking, which is a well known factor of many disorders, i.e. malignant carcinomas, noncarcinomatous diseases of respiratory system and cardiovascular diseases.

Material and methods
The study group consisted of 186 medical students of 6th year of Medical University of Wroclaw. The students answered to the anonymous, voluntary questionnaire.

Results
In the study took part 131 women (70%) and 55 men (30%) aged 23 up to 27. To evaluate the knowledge of smoking harmfulness the students were asked about the amount of carcinogenic substances contained in tobac-co and smoke. The correct answer gave 17 women (13%) and only 2 men (4%). In questioned students only 10 women (8%) and 5 men (9%) listed 3 carcinogenic substances. In questioned students 186 (100%) confirmed that smoking was a cause of cancer of larynx, 184 students (98.9%) confirmed that smoking could cause chronic bronchitis, moreover 180 students (96.8%) agreed that smoking had an influence on a birth weight in infants, 171 students (91.9%) confirmed the relation between smoking and prevalence of bladder cancer. Students, who were asked about the changes in number of smokers in Poland in the recent 20 years gave the correct answer only in 9 (4.8%) cases.

Key words: knowledge level, students, smoking