The 13th World Conference on Tobacco OR Health

Objective: Analyze the frequency and association of addictions among future physicians

Methods: A randomized anonymous self-administered survey was performed among medicine students near graduation at Buenos Aires University; There were 295 students surveyed, 114 (38.6%) of whom were men and 181 (61.4%) women, with an average age of 26.1 years.

Results: Out of the total, 27.8% were Non Smokers (NS), 28.5% had only tried smoking at some time (SP), 9.2% were ex-smokers (ES), and 34.6% were smokers (S). The initiation age for smoking went from 10 to 25 years, average 17, SD 1.4; they smoked from 1 to 40 cigarettes per day, average 8.9, SD 7.1 (p=0.0000); they smoked from 1 to 23 years with an average of 7.86, SD 4.26. (p=0.0000). Remembered some educational activity on addictions: 84.4%; without differences among S, ES, SP and NS. Had drunk alcohol in excess, at least once during the last year: 38.5%; S: 48.8%; ES: 34.5%; SP: 40.7%; NS: 22.8% (p=0.019). Had tried marijuana or other drugs: 20.1%; S: 35.3%; ES: 29.6%; SP: 12.2%; NS: 6.2% (p=0.0000). Of those who had tried, 13.6% continued consuming drugs. Among those that consumed, marijuana was the favorite drug (94.9%). Tobacco is closely related with other addictions, such as alcohol, marijuana and other drugs, to the extent that it could be considered as initiator, which would deem it necessary to limit its publicity, and to develop a complete and integrated program concerning these substances in the Schools of Medicine curricula, among other reasons because physicians are a model of health behavior.