ArticleBMC medical education2025
Clearing the fog: Australian medical students and the e-cigarette knowledge void - a cross-sectional survey.
Article in BMC medical education, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.
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Who cites it
1 citing paper in PubMed.
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Authors and funding
3 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundE-cigarettes (vapes) are increasingly popular, particularly among youth, and pose health risks such as nicotine addiction and lung damage. Despite this, medical students often lack adequate education on vaping. Given their future role in healthcare, it is crucial for them to be well informed. This study examines the attitudes, knowledge, and confidence of Australian medical students regarding e-cigarettes and their education on the topic.
methodsA cross-sectional survey was conducted among clinical medical students at the University of Adelaide (n = 550) to assess their knowledge of e-cigarettes, their attitudes towards vaping, and their confidence in their ability to discuss the subject with patients. The survey, which was open for 3 weeks, included 35 multiple-choice questions covering demographics, vaping knowledge, attitudes, and educational preferences. The data was analysed via descriptive statistics and inferential tests.
resultsOf the 103 initial respondents, 80 completed the survey. The results revealed a significant knowledge gap: 98.75% of the students reported no formal education on vaping, and 97.5% felt that their education was inadequate. Despite this, students scored an average of 5.2 out of 8 on vaping-related knowledge questions. The average self-reported confidence score for discussing vaping with patients was low (3.24/12), with female students reporting slightly greater confidence than males did. Vaping-related information primarily came from social media (58%) and personal networks (41%). A majority of the students (63.75%) preferred vaping education to be introduced during the preclinical years, with small group tutorials being the preferred teaching method.
conclusionAustralian medical students face significant gaps in vaping knowledge and confidence, which could impair their ability to counsel patients effectively. These findings highlight the urgent need for targeted vaping education in medical curricula in a country that has been otherwise progressive in its nicotine related reforms. Addressing these gaps will better equip future healthcare professionals to address the growing public health concern posed by e-cigarettes.
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