[Smoking among nursing and physical therapy students of the University of the Balearic Islands: opinions on regulation of smoking in public places].
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the prevalence, opinions and attitudes of nursing and physical therapy students at the University of the Balearic Islands toward smoking in public places and the influence of regulatory policies.


METHODS
We performed a cross-sectional, descriptive, observational study using a self-administered questionnaire. The survey was designed to evaluate opinions on and the degree of agreement with smoking and regulatory policies on this issue. The assessment was performed using Likert scales. The survey was offered to all students attending class in the core subject with the greatest number of enrolled students on a normal academic day between February 15 and March 15, 2006. We calculated 95% confidence intervals for proportions. The Chi square test was used to compare qualitative variables and Student's t-test was used for quantitative variables.


RESULTS
The sample consisted of 345 students, 82.2% of whom were women. The mean age was 21.9 years. The prevalence of regular smokers was 26.1% (26.9% among women and 22.6% among men). Almost all (93.8%) of the respondents agreed that smoking should be banned in closed spaces in educational institutions and 70.9% believed that the law should be complied with at the University of the Balearic Islands, with differences between 2003 and 2006.


CONCLUSIONS
Smoking was less prevalent in our population than in the general regional and national populations, as well as in other Spanish nursing students of the same age and gender. The prevalence of occasional smokers has fallen since 2003. Most students had a favorable view of the new Smoking Prevention Act.
González-Torrente
Susana
S
Enfermería, Centre de Salut Trencadors del Ib-Salut, Illes Balears, España.
Bennasar-Veny
Miguel
M
Pericàs-Beltrán
Jordi
J
de Pedro-Gómez
Joan E
JE
Aguiló-Pons
Antonio
A
Bauzá-Amengual
María de Lluc
Mde L
D001290:Attitude; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D026761:Physical Therapy Specialty; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D013336:Students, Health Occupations; D013338:Students, Nursing; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014495:Universities; D055815:Young Adult
Hábito tabáquico entre los estudiantes de enfermería y fisioterapia de la Universitat de les Illes Balears: opinión ante la regulación del consumo en lugares públicos.