The relationship between vocational college students’ smoking behavior and self-actualization, interpersonal support and stress management

In this study the relationship between Health Services students’ smoking behaviors and self-actualization, interpersonal support and stress management was explored. Students (372) in the Health and Social programs of the Erciyes University vocational college participated in the research. Data were expressed as mean ± standard deviation (M ± SD) or median with minimum-maximum values. Over one third (37.9%) of the students were smokers. It was determined that male students, students of social programs, students who had an income of = 83 USD, students who had a good perception of general health, students who did not have a serious health problem, students who participated in sports and who did not consume alcohol smoked much more than the other groups (p < 0.05). The mean of students’ self-actualization points was 36.03 ± 7.40, of interpersonal support points, 20.45 ± 4.04, and of stress management points, 17.87 ± 4.13. The means of the nonsmoker students’ self-actualization and interpersonal support points were found to be significantly high (p < 0.05).