Two-Year Change in Tobacco Use Prevalence and Associated Factors Among Medical Students

Büşra Yetiş; Türkan Günay

doi:10.18614/dehm.1898333

Two-Year Change in Tobacco Use Prevalence and Associated Factors Among Medical Students

Abstract

Background and Purpose: Tobacco use remains a major public health concern worldwide, including among medical students who will serve as future health professionals. This study aimed to examine the two-year change in tobacco use prevalence among medical students and to identify factors associated with smoking in the third year. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among first-year medical students in 2022 and the same cohort in their third year in 2024 at a single medical faculty. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire. Descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, t-tests, and logistic regression analyses were performed. Results: The prevalence of tobacco use increased from 29.8% in the first year to 33.9% in the third year. Cigarette smoking prevalence rose from 24.8% to 29.5%. Male sex, working to cover expenses, exposure to peer pressure, and having close friends who smoked were significantly associated with smoking. Students whose closest friends mostly smoked were more than six times more likely to smoke. A considerable proportion of tobacco users reported an intention to quit. Conclusion: Tobacco use increased during medical education and was strongly influenced by peer factors. Targeted tobacco control interventions and tobacco-free campus policies may help reduce tobacco use among medical students.

Keywords

Supporting Institution

none

Ethical Statement

Ethical approval for this study was obtained from the Dokuz Eylül University Non-Interventional Clinical Research Ethics Committee (dated 20.11.2024, decision no. 2024/39-16).

Thanks

Aylin Akmeşe, Başak Bozkurt, Sevda Caşka, Sude Diktaş, Zehra Kahraman The authors would like to thank them for their contribution to the data collection process.

References

1. World Health Organization. WHO report on the global tobacco epidemic, 2023: protect people from tobacco smoke. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2023.
2. Ritchie H. Who smokes more, men or women? [Internet]. Our World in Data; 2019 [cited 2025 Jun 6]. Available from: https://ourworldindata.org/who-smokes-more-men-or-women
3. World Health Organization. Tobacco fact sheet [Internet]. [cited 2025 Jun 6]. Available from: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/tobacco
4. United States Public Health Service, Office of the Surgeon General, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Office on Smoking and Health. Preventing tobacco use among youth and young adults: a report of the Surgeon General. Washington (DC): U.S. Government Printing Office; 2012.
5. Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation. Global Burden of Disease 2021: findings from the GBD 2021 study. Seattle (WA): Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation; 2024.
6. Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Health. Health Statistics Yearbook 2022. Ankara: Ministry of Health; 2023.
7. Driver EM, Gushgari A, Chen J, Halden RU. Alcohol, nicotine, and caffeine consumption on a public U.S. university campus determined by wastewater-based epidemiology. Sci Total Environ. 2020 Jul 20;727:138492.
8. Sahin Y, Zengin MN, Yayla E, Sayin AD, Unal MA, Assan L et al. Evaluation of nicotine, alcohol, and caffeine use among medical students. Mus Alparslan University Journal of Health Sciences. 2023;3(1):12-21.

9. Bahji A, Danilewitz M, Guerin E, Maser B, Frank E. Prevalence of and factors associated with substance use among Canadian medical students. JAMA Netw Open. 2021 Nov 17;4(11):e2133994.
10. Asut O, Vaizoglu S, Abuduxike G, Cali S. The smoking status and attitudes of medical school students in a university of Nicosia. Cyprus J Med Sci. 2021;6(4):311-318.
11. Karakaş EB, Zümbül A, Balatacı T, Durusoy R, Yararbaş G, Başoğlu ÖK et al. Smoking status of medical students at Ege University: a cross-sectional survey of 1040 students in 2018. Tob Induc Dis. 2018;16(Suppl 3):A77.
12. Kus C, Gumustakim RS, Eryilmaz ME. Kahramanmaras Sutcu Imam University Medical Faculty students' situation of use tobacco and tobacco products and related factors. ADDICTA Turk J Addict. 2020 May 20;6(Suppl 4):182-193.
13. Kuzucuoglu M. Evaluation of smoking habits and knowledge levels regarding smoking-related health problems among preclinical medical students at Balikesir University Faculty of Medicine. Med J Suleyman Demirel Univ. 2021;28(2):209-212.
14. Dagtekin G, Atay E, Kilinc A, Eyuboglu M, Eyuboglu D, Unsal A et al. Cigarette consumption, perceived stress, and quality of life according to sex among medical students. Osman Medical J. 2020;42(4):350-356.
15. Seven F, Gunay T. Tobacco use status and associated factors among medical students. Dokuz Eylul University Faculty of Medicine Journal. 2023;37(2):199-214.
16. Hasuder Tobacco Control Working Group. Terms and definitions used within the scope of tobacco control [Internet]. Ankara: Public Health Specialists Association of Türkiye; [cited 2025 Jul 25]. Available from: https://hsg.hasuder.org.tr/?p=696
17. Uysal MA, Kadakal F, Karsidag C, Bayram NG, Uysal Ö, Yilmaz V et al. Fagerstrom test for nicotine dependence: reliability in a Turkish sample and factor analysis. Tuberk Toraks. 2004;52(2):115-121
18. Turan R, Colak RZ, Oruc ME, Batak BS, Dalkilic S, Cangur S et al. Attitudes and behaviors of Duzce Medical Faculty students toward tobacco use. Journal of Health Sciences and Value. 2022;12(2):239-245.
19. Dikmen AU, Koc AK, Ilhan SO, Ilhan MN. Smoking and associated factors among students at Gazi University Faculty of Medicine. Gazi Medical Journal [Internet]. 2019 Jan 1 [cited 2025 Oct 14];30(1).
20. Todorović I, Cheng F, Stojisavljević S, Marinković S, Kremenović S, Savić P et al. Prevalence of cigarette smoking and influence of associated factors among students of the University of Banja Luka: a cross-sectional study. Medicina (Kaunas). 2022 Apr;58(4):502.
21. Balogh E, Wagner Z, Faubl N, Riemenschneider H, Voigt K, Terebessy A et al. Tobacco smoking and smokeless tobacco use among domestic and international medical students in Hungary. Subst Use Misuse. 2021 Jan 25;56(4):493-500.
22. Er T, Kurcer M. Smoking behaviors and anxiety levels of first- and sixth-year medical students, Journal of Dependence. 2020;21(3):201-209.
23. Dursun R, Durmus H, Balci E, Deniz Y, Koyluce N, Gunay O. Changes in smoking status among Erciyes University students between 1985 and 2019, Kahramanmaras Sutcu Imam University Faculty of Medicine Journal. 2023;18(1):85-92.

Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Clinical Sciences (Other)

Journal Section

Research Article

Authors

Büşra Yetiş ^*
0009-0003-8091-7547
Türkiye

Türkan Günay
0000-0002-0874-2637
Türkiye

Publication Date

October 26, 2026

Submission Date

February 26, 2026

Acceptance Date

July 24, 2026

Published in Issue

Year 2026 Volume: 40 Number: 4

DOI

https://doi.org/10.18614/dehm.1898333

IZ

https://izlik.org/JA65BZ64HD

Cite

RIS / Bibtex

APA

Yetiş, B., & Günay, T. (2026). Two-Year Change in Tobacco Use Prevalence and Associated Factors Among Medical Students. Developments and Experiments in Health and Medicine, 40(4), 453-468. https://doi.org/10.18614/dehm.1898333

AMA

1.Yetiş B, Günay T. Two-Year Change in Tobacco Use Prevalence and Associated Factors Among Medical Students. Dev Exp Health Med. 2026;40(4):453-468. doi:10.18614/dehm.1898333

Chicago

Yetiş, Büşra, and Türkan Günay. 2026. “Two-Year Change in Tobacco Use Prevalence and Associated Factors Among Medical Students”. Developments and Experiments in Health and Medicine 40 (4): 453-68. https://doi.org/10.18614/dehm.1898333.

EndNote

Yetiş B, Günay T (October 1, 2026) Two-Year Change in Tobacco Use Prevalence and Associated Factors Among Medical Students. Developments and Experiments in Health and Medicine 40 4 453–468.

IEEE

[1]B. Yetiş and T. Günay, “Two-Year Change in Tobacco Use Prevalence and Associated Factors Among Medical Students”, Dev Exp Health Med, vol. 40, no. 4, pp. 453–468, Oct. 2026, doi: 10.18614/dehm.1898333.

ISNAD

Yetiş, Büşra - Günay, Türkan. “Two-Year Change in Tobacco Use Prevalence and Associated Factors Among Medical Students”. Developments and Experiments in Health and Medicine 40/4 (October 1, 2026): 453-468. https://doi.org/10.18614/dehm.1898333.

JAMA

1.Yetiş B, Günay T. Two-Year Change in Tobacco Use Prevalence and Associated Factors Among Medical Students. Dev Exp Health Med. 2026;40:453–468.

MLA

Yetiş, Büşra, and Türkan Günay. “Two-Year Change in Tobacco Use Prevalence and Associated Factors Among Medical Students”. Developments and Experiments in Health and Medicine, vol. 40, no. 4, Oct. 2026, pp. 453-68, doi:10.18614/dehm.1898333.

Vancouver

1.Büşra Yetiş, Türkan Günay. Two-Year Change in Tobacco Use Prevalence and Associated Factors Among Medical Students. Dev Exp Health Med. 2026 Oct. 1;40(4):453-68. doi:10.18614/dehm.1898333