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

Tawfik, Mirella Youssef; Soliman, Hanan Hassan; Elotla, Sally Fawzy

doi:10.21608/ejcm.2022.130974.1212

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

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Public Health, Occupational and Environmental Medicine Department, Faculty of Medicine, Suez Canal University, Ismailia, Egypt.

10.21608/ejcm.2022.130974.1212

Abstract

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.

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