A school-based intervention against tobacco consumption for students of physiotherapy: a three-years not randomized trial

Abstract

Introduction

The aim of the study is to assess the efficacy of a school-based intervention for reducing tobacco consumption among physiotherapy students.

Materials And Methods

The controlled trial involved two groups of physiotherapy students. The treatment consisted of a seminar on smoking related diseases (2 hours) and  of a training in a service of respiratory diseases or thoracic surgery (at least 10 months). The control group (B) didnât undertake any treatment. The main outcome was the prevalence of smokers. The follow up lasted 3 years.

Results

78 students were involved in the treated group (A) and 72 in the control group (B). The two groups didnât differ in term of gender distribution, mean age, smokers prevalence and nicotine dependence. Comparing the smokersâ prevalence in group A between T0 and T1 (3 years), the RR at T1 was 0.93 (CI 95%: 0.6-1.44) and the prevalence decreased from 36% to 33%. Among group B the prevalence between T0 and T1 increased passing from 28% to 35% with a RR at T1 of 1.26 (0.76-2.11). The reduction of smokersâ prevalence âattributableâ to the intervention in the treated group was  7.7 %, while an increase of 27.8 % of smokersâ prevalence âattributableâ to the lack of the intervention was found in the control group. No statistical differences have been found.

Conclusion

School-based interventions seem to be effective in reducing the smokers prevalence among healthcare students involved. Further researches, with a wider sample and standardized methodology are required to confirm these preliminary findings.

https://doi.org/10.15167/2421-4248/jpmh2016.57.2.519
PDF

References

WHO | Tobacco. Fact sheet N°339, updated May 2014 [Internet]. WHO. [2015]. From: http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs339/en/

OSSFAD- Doxa-ISS survey, 2014 [Internet]. [2015]. From: http://www.salute.gov.it/imgs/C_17_notizie_1602_listaFile_itemName_0_file.pdf

Ficarra MG, Gualano MR, Capizzi S, Siliquini R, Liguori G, Manzoli L, et al. Tobacco use prevalence, knowledge and attitudes among Italian hospital healthcare professionals. Eur J Public Health. febbraio 2011;21[1):29â34.

Nardini S, Bartoletti R, Rastelli V, Ravelli L, Donner C. Personal smoking habit and attitude toward smoking among the health staff of a general hospital. Monaldi Arch Chest Dis. febbraio 1998;53[1):74â8.

Biraghi E, Tortorano AM. Tobacco smoking habits among nursing students and the influence of family and peer smoking behaviour. J Adv Nurs. 1 gennaio 2010;66[1):33â9.

Stead LF, Buitrago D, Preciado N, Sanchez G, Hartmann-Boyce J, Lancaster T. Physician advice for smoking cessation. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2013;5:CD000165.

Raupach T, Al-Harbi G, McNeill A, Bobak A, McEwen A. Smoking Cessation Education and Training in U.K. Medical Schools: A National Survey. Nicotine Tob Res. 3 gennaio 2015;17[3):372â5.

La Torre G, Saulle R, Unim B, Angelillo IF, Baldo V, Bergomi M, et al. Knowledge, Attitudes, and Smoking Behaviours among Physicians Specializing in Public Health: A Multicentre Study. BioMed Res Int. 3 giugno 2014;2014:e516734.

Ferrante M, Saulle R, Ledda C, Pappalardo R, Fallico R, La Torre G, et al. Prevalence of smoking habits, attitudes, knowledge and beliefs among Health Professional School students: a cross-sectional study. Ann DellIstituto Super Sanità . 2013;49[2):143â9.

Murphy-Hoefer R, Griffith R, Pederson LL, Crossett L, Iyer SR, Hiller MD. A review of interventions to reduce tobacco use in colleges and universities. Am J Prev Med. febbraio 2005;28[2):188â200.

Fagerström K, Russ C, Yu C-R, Yunis C, Foulds J. The Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence as a predictor of smoking abstinence: a pooled analysis of varenicline clinical trial data. Nicotine Tob Res Off J Soc Res Nicotine Tob. dicembre 2012;14[12):1467â73.

WMA Declaration of Helsinki - Ethical Principles for Medical Research Involving Human Subjects [Internet]. 2013 From: http://www.wma.net/en/30publications/10policies/b3/

Thomas RE, McLellan J, Perera R. School-based programmes for preventing smoking. In: Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews [Internet]. John Wiley & Sons, Ltd; 2013. From: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD001293.pub3/abstract

Stanton A, Grimshaw G. Tobacco cessation interventions for young people. In: Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews [Internet]. John Wiley & Sons, Ltd; 2013. From: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD003289.pub5/abstract

Carson KV, Brinn MP, Labiszewski NA, Esterman AJ, Chang AB, Smith BJ. Community interventions for preventing smoking in young people. In: Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews [Internet]. John Wiley & Sons, Ltd; 2011. From: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD001291.pub2/abstract