Impact of Tobacco Control Campaigns on Smoking
Behaviors in Thai Medical Schools
Suthat Rungruanghiranya MD, FCCP*,
Chatchai Ekpanyaskul MD, MSc**
Affiliation :
* Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Srinakharinwirot University, Nakhon Nayok, Thailand
** Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Srinakharinwirot University, Nakhon Nayok, Thailand
Objective : To explore the changes in the prevalence of smoking behavior, attitudes, and cessation training among medical
students after the establishment of the Thai Health Professional Alliance against Tobacco (ThaiPAT) and its major campaigns
by using the nationwide Global Health Professions Student Surveys (GHPSS).
Material and Method: Multiple cross-sectional studies were conducted after three major campaigns were launched between
2007 and 2011, the Deans’ Summit on Tobacco Control, implemented tobacco control into the medical curriculum, and
100% smoke-free hospitals and medical schools. The results of two rounds of GHPSS among third year medical students
across the nation in 2006 and 2011 were compared.
Results : Overall prevalence of active cigarette smoking remained unchanged at 2.6%. Passive cigarette smoke exposure in
public areas appeared to decrease slightly over time. In the most recent national survey, the prevalence of passive smoke
exposure was 53.7%. Moreover, the number of student that agreed with the smoking ban in pubs, bars, and nightclubs
increased significantly from 80.8 to 90.5%. There was significant improvement in the cessation training among medical
students (p<0.001). A significant increase in the number of student that agreed that healthcare personnel needed specific
training in cessation techniques (p = 0.004) and should always advise their patients to quit smoking (p<0.001).
Conclusion : Nationwide tobacco control campaigns in Thai medical schools significantly improved the attitudes toward
smoking cessation and cessation training among their students, although overall prevalence of active and passive cigarette
smoking was unchanged.
Keywords : Campaigns, Cessation training, Curriculum, Medical students, Thailand, Tobacco use
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