Motivation and readiness to quit smoking tobacco among healthcare students

Introduction Tobacco use remains one of the most serious public health problems worldwide. This addiction continues to affect a significant proportion of the population, including healthcare workers. Aim The objective of this study was to assess the level of motivation and readiness to quit smoking among healthcare students. Material and methods The study involved 135 healthcare students who were tobacco smokers. An original questionnaire and Schneider’s Motivation Test for Smoking Cessation were used to conduct the study. Results Low motivation to quit smoking was found in one-fifth of the study group (n = 28; 20.7%), while high motivation was found in the majority (n = 107; 79.3%). People under the age of 20 were more likely to have low motivation to quit smoking, while those over the age of 20 had high motivation (42.9% vs. 84.1%, p = 0.002). Respondents who smoked 5 to 10 cigarettes a day had a high level of motivation to fight their addiction, while those who smoked 10–15 cigarettes a day were more likely to have low motivation to quit smoking (61.7% vs. 35.7%, p = 0.031). Conclusions The study group of healthcare students showed a high level of motivation to quit smoking. Significant factors differentiating the level of motivation were age, number of cigarettes smoked per day, and self-assessment of knowledge about the harmful effects of smoking. Interventions supporting healthcare students in quitting smoking and comprehensive education on nicotine dependence and smoking cessation methods should be considered.