Effectiveness of health belief model-based educational intervention in improving knowledge, beliefs, smoking behaviors, and nicotine dependence among cigarette smoking medical students during COVID-19 pandemic
BBackground: Cigarette smoking is a major public health threat to the world with rising concerns during the COVID-19 pandemic. Objectives: To evaluate the effectiveness of a health belief model (HBM)-based educational intervention in improving knowledge, beliefs, self-reported smoking behaviors, and nicotine dependence among university medical students. Methods: A randomized controlled health education intervention was performed using permuted blocks randomization. Students in the intervention group (n=133) received health education intervention based on the HBM constructs and incorporated smoking related COVID-19 risks. Control subjects (n=129) received basic health education including smoking health related risks. The outcomes measured were: students’ knowledge, beliefs, self-reported smoking behaviors, and nicotine dependence. Data were collected at baseline and 30 days post-intervention. Results: After the intervention, percentages of students who had high knowledge and belief scores had significantly increased from ˂5%to >45% in the intervention group(p < 0.001).Mean nicotine dependence scores and percentages of daily and heavy smokers among students showed more improvement in the intervention group (3.9±1.5, 35.3%, 5.3%) compared to the control group (5±1.8, 48.8% and 12.4% respectively)(p < 0.001)at 30 days post-intervention. Perceived COVID-19 risk susceptibility and risk severity significantly predict post-intervention reduction in moderate/heavy smoking (p < 0.01 and p < 0.001 respectively) and high nicotine dependence (p < 0.01) in the intervention group. Conclusions: This intervention significantly improved knowledge, beliefs, self-reported smoking behaviors and nicotine dependence in medical students. Further research is needed for investigating the effectiveness of applying more complex and longer intervention.
Tawfik, M., Soliman, H., & Elotla, S. (2022). Effectiveness of health belief model-based educational intervention in improving knowledge, beliefs, smoking behaviors, and nicotine dependence among cigarette smoking medical students during COVID-19 pandemic. The Egyptian Journal of Community Medicine, 40(3), 218-226. doi: 10.21608/ejcm.2022.130974.1212
MLA
Mirella Youssef Tawfik; Hanan Hassan Soliman; Sally Fawzy Elotla. "Effectiveness of health belief model-based educational intervention in improving knowledge, beliefs, smoking behaviors, and nicotine dependence among cigarette smoking medical students during COVID-19 pandemic". The Egyptian Journal of Community Medicine, 40, 3, 2022, 218-226. doi: 10.21608/ejcm.2022.130974.1212
HARVARD
Tawfik, M., Soliman, H., Elotla, S. (2022). 'Effectiveness of health belief model-based educational intervention in improving knowledge, beliefs, smoking behaviors, and nicotine dependence among cigarette smoking medical students during COVID-19 pandemic', The Egyptian Journal of Community Medicine, 40(3), pp. 218-226. doi: 10.21608/ejcm.2022.130974.1212
VANCOUVER
Tawfik, M., Soliman, H., Elotla, S. Effectiveness of health belief model-based educational intervention in improving knowledge, beliefs, smoking behaviors, and nicotine dependence among cigarette smoking medical students during COVID-19 pandemic. The Egyptian Journal of Community Medicine, 2022; 40(3): 218-226. doi: 10.21608/ejcm.2022.130974.1212