Prevalence of smoking in nursing students worldwide: A meta-analysis of observational studies

Analysis of Knowledge of Smoking-Related Diseases in Spanish Nursing Students

Smoking causes significant morbidity and mortality worldwide, mainly in developed countries. In addition, it is the cause of numerous diseases in the body, despite the fact that the prevalence of tobacco use is decreasing. Nursing students, as future professionals, should be aware of action plans for cessation and information designed for smokers. To determine the level of knowledge among nursing students about smoking-related diseases and analyze the prevalence of student who smoke at the University of Leon, Spain, a descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out in which students were given an anonymous questionnaire, which was previously validated, during the 2021-2022 academic year. In a sample of 477 (79.5%) nursing students, a smoking prevalence of 17.6% was obtained. In addition, students' knowledge about the diseases directly caused by tobacco consumption and others associated with exposure to environmental smoke was assessed, and in both cases (8.03 points of 9 for consumption and 5.24 of 6 to exposure), scores were obtained that allow us to state that students do not know for sure the types of diseases that are related to tobacco use and passive smoking. In spite of this, it is necessary to continue to reduce the prevalence of smoking through different programs implemented in schools and universities, as it is also necessary to improve teaching plans when explaining smoking-related diseases, so that students, in the future, will be able to advise patients correctly.

Targeted Primary and Secondary Preventive Strategies for Depression among Malaysian Pharmacy Students

The global depression burden has remained a challenge throughout the pre- and post-pandemic era. The pandemic effect has led to the spiraling of mental disorders among young people who will be the next generation of leaders. This study aims to identify university students’ sociodemographic, psychosocial and academic backgrounds and performance associated with depression symptoms for the development of primary and secondary preventive strategies for mental health. A cross-sectional study was conducted using an online questionnaire distributed to 19 institutions in Malaysia offering a Bachelor of Pharmacy degree program. The self-rated Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS-42) was used to assess depression symptoms. Pearson’s chi-square test and Fisher’s exact test were used to assess the investigated variables with depression symptoms. Independent T-test and one-way ANOVA were used to compare means of depression score across variables. Binary logistic regression was employed to examine the relationship between the investigated variables and depression symptoms. A total of 610 pharmacy students participated, of which 47% (n = 289/610) were having depression symptoms. Students who smoke nicotine and those who have separated parents, family history of mental illness, and poor academic performance were associated with depression symptoms (p < 0.05). Differences in geographical areas, race and religion also showed significant associations with depression symptoms. Parental marital status, poor academic performance, history of mental illness and comorbidities were statistically predicting depression symptoms (p < 0.05). Primary preventive strategies allowing students to harness healthy coping skills for stress, nicotine-free campaigns and a holistic curriculum are warranted. Secondary measures on mindfulness and compassion skills activities to benefit students who experienced early life crises are highly recommended. Enforcing these targeted strategies in collaboration with health and social sectors should be the primary agenda of universities to ensure their uptake.

[Smoking prevalence among nursing students and nursing assistants in Mâcon: 2021 survey and evolution over 13 years]

INTRODUCTION

Smoking is a public health issue in France, especially among the young. Its specificities for caregivers and health students are part of a nationwide "Tobacco-free health place" strategy, underlining the importance of individual choices and the clinical roles of future health professionals.

METHOD

Prospective survey by online questionnaire, conducted in 2021 among 238 nursing students and nursing assistants in Mâcon, concerning their smoking habits, vaping and the impact of the Covid-19 health crisis, the objectives being to assess the prevalence of smoking in this population, and compare it to previous surveys and data from the literature. In addition, smoking-related behavior was observed.

RESULTS

One hundred and fifty-seven out of 238 students (66%), 95% of whom were women, responded to the questionnaire, with an average age of 25.1 years (SD: 7.7). Smoking prevalence was measured at 22%. This rate has fluctuated without declining in the surveys undertaken since 2008. Vaping was practiced by 8% of respondents, three-quarters of whom were also smokers. The health crisis appeared to have aggravated smoking habits among the future caregivers, two-fifths of whom considered it embarrassing for a caregiver to smoke, whatever their own smoking status.

CONCLUSIONS

Smoking prevalence has not declined in this predominantly female student population, with results similar to those elsewhere in France, Young generations of caregivers will be challenged from the standpoints of personal health and professional skills in their treatment of smokers, which it would be desirable for them to ensure without undue cognitive dissonance.

Effects of smoking on delayed neuropsychiatric sequelae in acute carbon monoxide poisoning: A prospective observational study

Smoking is a well-known risk factor for cardio-cerebrovascular disease. However, several studies have reported the "smoker's paradox" whereby smokers have a better prognosis for cardio-cerebrovascular diseases. Similar to cardio-cerebrovascular diseases, hypoxia is one of the major mechanisms of injury in carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning. This study investigated the association between smoking and delayed neuropsychiatric sequelae (DNS) in acute CO poisoning.This study involved patients with CO poisoning treated at a university hospital in Bucheon, Korea between September 2017 and March 2020. The exclusion criteria were age <18 years, discharge against medical advice, loss to follow-up, persistent neurological symptoms at discharge, transfer from another hospital 24 hours after exposure, and transfer from another hospital after hyperbaric oxygen therapy. Logistic regression analysis was performed to find factors associated with DNS.Two hundred sixty three patients visited the hospital due to CO poisoning and of these, 54 were excluded. DNS was evaluated up to 3 months after discharge, and until this time, DNS occurred in 35 (16.8%) patients. And the incidence rate of DNS was lower in smokers than non-smokers (15, 12% vs 20, 23.8%, P = .040). Multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed that CO exposure time (odds ratio [OR] 1.003; confidence interval [CI] 1.001-1.005; P = .003), the Glasgow coma scale (GCS) (OR 0.862; CI 0.778-0.956; P = .005), and pack-years (OR 0.947; CI 0.903-0.993; P = .023) were statistically significant for DNS development.These results indicate that more pack-years smoked were associated with reduced risk of the development of DNS in acute CO poisoning, and that CO exposure time and GCS is a predictive factor for DNS occurrence.

How does the self-reported health of undergraduate nursing students change during their degree programme? Survey results from a Scottish University

BACKGROUND

The lifestyle behaviours, and the physical and mental health of nurses, are poorer than those of other allied health professionals, and of the general population. However, these were no less favourable among first year undergraduate nursing students at a Scottish Higher Education Institution (HEI) than among similar people of the same age. We compared health and health behaviours among the same cohort of undergraduate nursing students over the course of their degree.

METHODS

An anonymous self-complete repeat cross-sectional survey was administered during a timetabled teaching session at three time-points to undergraduate nursing students at the start of Years 1, 2 and 3 of their programme. They had received written information about the study previously.

RESULTS

Self-reported health did not change significantly over time, but there was a clear decline over the 3 years in the proportions of students rating their mental health as excellent/very good/good and a concomitant increase in those rating their mental health as fair/poor. Correspondingly, the mean WEMWBS wellbeing score declined over the 3 years, with the proportion of students with a score of < 46 (indicating either high risk of major depression, or in high risk of psychological distress and increased risk of depression) increasing from one quarter to one half. This effect was captured and described using a Bayesian regression analysis. The most noticeable change in health behaviours was a decline in physical activity levels over the study period. The proportion of students managing 150 min of weekly physical activity decreased from three quarters to two thirds. This was reflected in higher self-reported sedentary time, although there were no observable trends over time in mean BMI, or proportions of students categorised as overweight or obese.

CONCLUSIONS

This paper suggests that there may be a decline in mental health and in participation in physical activity among nursing students over the course of their degree. We recommend the incorporation of an intervention into the undergraduate nursing curriculum that promotes and encourages regular physical activity, offering students the opportunity to learn about health promotion and lifestyle change in practice, to improve their own physical health, and to address mental wellbeing.

[Cigarette and e-cigarette use among a sample of French health students]

INTRODUCTION

Smoking is one of the leading causes of preventable death worldwide. Data from the literature show that caregivers and health students have a high prevalence. The purpose of this article was to study the prevalence among health students (medicine, dentistry, physiotherapy, nursing) at a University and a Teaching Hospital in France.

MATERIAL AND METHOD

This was a cross-sectional study using a self-administered questionnaire completed at the start of university meetings. This study was carried out as part of a campaign to combat smoking supported by the Brittany Regional Health Agency.

RESULTS

The participation rate was 76.4%: 1349 respondents out of 1766 health students surveyed. The prevalence of smoking 17.8% and that of vaping 5.6%. Nursing students smoked and vaped more than students in other streams: respectively, for smoking, 21.8% (73/335) vs. 16.5% (167/1014) (P<0.001), for vaping, 10.4% (35/335) vs. 4.0% (39/980) (P<0.001). Students in 3rd year nursing smoked and vaped significantly more than those in the first 2 years (P=0.02 and P<0.001).

CONCLUSION

The smoking rate was high, but comparable to the data for health students. Nursing students were significantly greater smokers, especially in the last year. Their vaping rate was higher than in other studies.

A longitudinal study of multiple lifestyle health risk behaviours among nursing students and non-nursing peers

AIM

The aim of this paper is to compare the evolution of health risk behaviours between undergraduate nursing and social work students.

BACKGROUND

Nursing includes the promotion of health and the shaping of healthy behaviours. An important determinant for providing lifestyle advice is the lifestyle of nurses themselves.

DESIGN

Longitudinal comparative study.

MEASUREMENTS

We compared lifestyle risk behaviours (binge drinking, cannabis/hashish/marijuana use, smoking, oral hygiene/toothbrushing, breakfast/fruit/vegetable consumption, physical activity and screen time/sedentary behaviours) using a self-administered standardized questionnaire in nursing (n = 121) and social work (n = 140) students at the beginning (2012) and the end of their studies (2015). Adjusted multivariable logistic/Poisson regression models were performed.

RESULTS

There were no statistically significant differences between the departments in most risk factors in both assessments. However, in relation to their first year, both nursing and social work students displayed higher relative risk of engaging in more behavioural risk factors at the end of their studies (in delivery/junk food consumption, sunburns, hashish/marijuana use and multiple sexual partners). Social work students displayed better behaviours in physical activity and breakfast intake.

CONCLUSION

Nursing students share the patterns of their nonnursing peers in behavioural risk factors compromising their future health and health-promoting role. We need strategies to safeguard the professional nursing practice.

Prevalence and Demographic Correlates of Poor Sleep Quality Among Frontline Health Professionals in Liaoning Province, China During the COVID-19 Outbreak

BACKGROUND

Little empirical evidence is known about the sleep quality of frontline health professionals working in isolation units or hospitals during the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in China. This study thus aimed to examine the prevalence of poor sleep quality and its demographic and correlates among frontline health professionals.

METHODS

This is a multicenter, cross-sectional survey conducted in Liaoning province, China. Sleep quality was measured by the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI).

RESULTS

A total of 1,931 frontline health professionals were recruited. The prevalence of poor sleep quality was 18.4% (95%CI: 16.6%-20.11%). Multivariate logistic regression analysis found that older age (OR=1.043, 95%CI=1.026-1.061, P < 0.001), being nurse (OR=3.132, 95%CI=1.727-5.681, P < 0.001), and working in outer emergency medical team (OR=1.755, 95%CI=1.029-3.064, P=0.039) were positively associated with poor sleep quality. Participants who were familiar with crisis response knowledge were negatively associated with poor sleep quality (OR=0.70, 95%CI=0.516-0.949, P=0.021).

CONCLUSION

The prevalence of poor sleep quality was relatively low among frontline health professionals during the COVID-19 epidemic. Considering the negative impact of poor sleep quality on health professionals' health outcomes and patient outcomes, regularly screening and timely treatments are warranted to reduce the likelihood of poor sleep quality in health professionals.

Prevalence of Depression Among Empty-Nest Elderly in China: A Meta-Analysis of Observational Studies

BACKGROUND

Depressive symptoms are common in empty-nest elderly in China, but the reported prevalence rates across studies are mixed. This is a meta-analysis of the pooled prevalence of depressive symptoms (depression hereafter) in empty-nest elderly in China.

METHODS

Two investigators independently conducted a systematic literature search in both English (PubMed, EMBASE, PsycINFO, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library) and Chinese (CNKI and Wan Fang) databases. Data were analyzed using the Comprehensive Meta-Analysis program.

RESULTS

A total of 46 studies with 36,791 subjects were included. The pooled prevalence of depression was 38.6% (95%CI: 31.5-46.3%). Compared with non-empty-nest elderly, empty-nest elderly were more likely to suffer from depression (OR=2.0, 95%CI: 1.4 to 2.8, P<0.001). Subgroup and meta-regression analyses revealed that mild depression were more common in empty-nest elderly than moderate or severe depression (P<0.001). In addition, living alone (P=0.002), higher male proportion (β=0.04, P<0.001), later year of publication (β=0.09, P<0.001) and higher study quality score (β=0.62, P<0.001) were significantly associated with higher prevalence of depression.

CONCLUSION

In this meta-analysis, the prevalence of depression in empty-nest elderly was high in China. Considering the negative impact of depression on health outcomes and well-being, regular screening and appropriate interventions need to be delivered for this vulnerable segment of the population.