Assessing the readiness to integrate tobacco control in medical curriculum: experiences from five medical colleges in Southern India.

BACKGROUND: Making tobacco cessation a normative part of all clinical practice is the only way to substantially reduce tobacco-related deaths and the burden of tobacco-related morbidity in the short term. This study was undertaken because information on receptivity to integrate tobacco control education in the medical curriculum is extremely limited in low- and middle-income countries. METHODS: From five medical colleges (two government) in southern India, 713 (men 59%) faculty and 2585 (men 48%) students participated in our cross-sectional survey. Information on self-reported tobacco use and readiness to integrate tobacco control education in the medical curriculum was collected from both the faculty and students using a pretested structured questionnaire. Multiple logistic regression analysis was done to find the associated factors. RESULTS: Current smoking was reported by 9.0% (95% CI 6.6-12.1) of men faculty and 13.7% (CI 11.8-15.9) by men students. Faculty who were teaching tobacco-related topics [odds ratio (OR) 2.29; 95% CI 1.65-3.20] compared to those who were not, faculty in government colleges (OR 1.69; CI 1.22-2.35) compared to those in private colleges and medical pecialists (OR 1.79; CI 1.23-2.59) compared to surgical and non-clinical specialists were more likely to be ready to integrate tobacco control education in the medical curriculum. Non-smoking students (OR 2.58; CI 2.01-3.33) compared to smokers, and women students (OR 1.80; CI 1.50-2.17) compared to men were more likely to be ready to integrate a tobacco control education in the curriculum. CONCLUSION: Faculty and students are receptive to introduce tobacco control in the medical curriculum. Government faculty, medical specialists and faculty who already teach tobacco-related topics are likely to be early introducers of this new curriculum.