Smoking behavior among third year dental students in Latin American countries: prevalence, perceptions, and risk factors

• Main Authors: Irene Tamí-Maury (Author), María Guadalupe Silva-Vetri (Author), Maytté Marcano-Caldera (Author), Alessandra Baasch (Author), Alexander V Prokhorov (Author)
• Format: Book
• Published: Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública, 2017-03-01T00:00:00Z.
• Subjects: article
• Online Access: Connect to this object online.

Summary

Objective. To examine the association between tobacco-related risk factors and smoking among third-year dental students in Latin American countries. Materials and methods. Logistic regression models were used to analyze Global Health Professions Student Survey (GHPSS) data. Results. Of 5 605 respondents, 33% smoked and 45% had been exposed to secondhand smoke during the previ­ous month, 34% smoked in school buildings during the past year, and 85% had never received formal training in smoking cessation. Smoking was significantly associated with male sex; Bolivian, Chilean, or Mexican nationality; exposure to secondhand smoke; lacking self-perception of being a "role model" for patients; and not believing that health profes­sionals who smoke are less likely to advise patients to quit smoking. Conclusions. All dental schools should encourage tobacco-free policies and offer cessation services. Cessation training must be incorporated into dental curricula to include dental professionals in the battle against the tobacco epidemic.

Item Description

0036-3634
1606-7916
10.21149/7828