Tobacco use prevalence, knowledge and attitudes, and tobacco cessation training among medical students: results of a pilot study of Global Health Professions Students Survey (GHPSS) in Italy

Abstract: Aim: The aims of this study were to examine tobacco use prevalence, knowledge and attitudes, and tobacco cessation training among students attending Italian medical schools using the Global Health Professions Student Survey approach and to identify possible factors associated with smoking status. Subjects and Methods: A multicentre cross-sectional pilot study was carried out in five Italian Schools of Medicine from March to April 2009. Questionnaires were administered in anonymous, voluntary and self-administered form to third year students attending medical schools. The outcome measure was “being a current smoker”. A logistic regression was used to evaluate possible factors associated with smoking status. Results: The prevalence of current smokers was 31.4%. More than half considered health professionals as models for patients, and around 90% thought health professionals have a role in giving advice or information about smoking cessation. Only 5.8% of responders had received smoking cessation training during medical school. Medical students who considered healthcare professionals as behavioural models had lower likelihood of smoking (OR = 0.52). Conclusions: Given the high prevalence of smokers among medical students and the poorness of smoking cessation programmes, it is important to create tobacco control training programmes addressed to healthcare students.