Health Education Research, Vol. 10, No. 4, 479-486, 1995
© 1995 Oxford University Press
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Knowledge and attitudes of medical students in Bahrain towards smoking
College of Medicine and Medical Sciences, Arablan Gulf University PO Box 22979, Bahrain, Arabian Gulf
A survey of medical students at the Arabian Gulf University (AGU) was conducted using an anonymous self-administered questionnaire to assess students' knowledge of and attitudes towards smoking, and to determine their opinion of regulations for controlling smoking. A total of 91 male and 175 female students answered the questionnaire. Only 3.6% of the overall population did not participate in the study. A significant difference was observed among students by smoking status and reasons for not smoking. Smokers rated protection for health and setting a good example to others lower than their colleagues. Almost all of the students, irrespective of smoking status and medical year, knew about the association of smoking and lung cancer, chronic obstructive lung disease and ischaemic heart disease. Students' knowledge was deficient for cancers of the bladder and pancreas. Students generally agreed about the necessity of advising patients with several conditions to stop smoking. A highly significant (P < 0.005) difference was noted for smoking control measures and smoking status. Smokers were the least supportive of restricting smoking—particularly in the university (31.0%). It can be concluded that AGU medical students knew about the hazards of smoking but their attitude towards their preventive and exemplary role was ambivalent.