MEDICAL-STUDENTS CONTRIBUTION TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF A SMOKE-FREE HOSPITAL POLICY IN A UNIVERSITY MEDICAL-CENTER - A RELEVANT LEARNING-EXPERIENCE

In a research methodology course, second-year medical students conduct ed a survey on 'Enforcing a Smoking Ban in the Soroka Medical Center: a Survey of Hospital Employees on Facilitating Factors and Obstacles'. They defined the study objectives and design, developed the study ins trument, carried out the survey, coded and entered the data into mainf rame computers, analysed the computer output, and prepared oral and wr itten reports. The aims of the project were twofold: to survey employe es' attitudes to a hospital smoking ban and to train medical students in the planning and conduct of a research project on public health or preventive medicine. Twelve students conducted a cross-sectional surve y of 208 hospital employees (10% of the hospital staff). Employees wer e surveyed regarding smoking status, interest in quitting smoking, kno wledge of the law banning smoking in public places, knowledge of the h ealth effects of passive smoking, attitudes towards a hospital smoking ban and potential obstacles to its implementation. The students rated the course as excellent. They gained important research skills, as we ll as practical medical and public health experience through active pa rticipation in the design and execution of a study project with public health implications. At the first meeting of the hospital committee a ppointed to enforce a smoke-free hospital, the students' findings were reported in full, and their recommendations have guided policy decisi ons.