Role of family and peers in the initiation and continuation of smoking behavior of future physicians

BACKGROUND: Globally researchers have long back noted that the trend of substance use was on the rise particularly in the student population. OBJECTIVE: To find out the prevalence and determinants of smoking practices among undergraduate medical students. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted among undergraduate medical (MBBS) students of a tertiary care medical college using a predesigned and pretested semi-structured self-administered anonymous questionnaire. RESULTS: Among 182 participants, 55 (30%) were smokers; 85.45% were regular smokers; majority in the age group 20-22 years (70%); mostly males (98%). No significant difference was observed among urban and rural students, and religion had no association. The practice of smoking for last 6 months to 1 year was in 43.6% and 40% smoked less than 6 months. Half of them (50.9%) smoked 5-9 cigarettes per day. Peer pressure was significantly high in smokers (83.6%); 42% had other addictions. The effect of parental smoking on smoking habits of the participants was quite evident among smokers (82%), which was significantly higher than nonsmokers (χ(2) = 63.49, P < 0.05). Peer pressure was the most important risk factor (57.69%) of initiation of smoking habit followed by parental influence (16.49%). Among morbidities of smokers, 60.6% were suffering from regular cough, 6% from bronchitis, and 2% had asthma. CONCLUSIONS: Our survey conducted on budding doctors surprisingly showed that undergraduate medical students smoke so much.