title: Tobacco use among medical students in Europe: results of a multicentre study using the Global Health Professions Student Survey.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine smoking prevalence, knowledge and attitudes, and tobacco cessation training among university students attending European medical schools using the Global Health Professional Students Survey approach.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-country, cross-sectional study was performed among 12 medical schools in four countries in Europe (Germany, Italy, Poland and Spain). The survey was performed during the second semester of the third year of study from March to May 2009.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In total, 2249 subjects entered the study (overall response rate 92%). The overall prevalence of smoking among medical students was 29.3% (95% confidence interval 28.1-34.7), with percentages ranging from 28% in Germany to 31.3% in Italy. This study found that more than two-thirds of medical students believe that health professionals are role models for patients, with different beliefs in Poland (89.6%) and Germany (77.7%) vs Italy and Spain (57.2% and 54.4%, respectively) (P < 0.001). Smoking cessation training at medical school was only reported by 16.5% of students (lowest proportion in Italy, 3.5%) (P < 0.001). In terms of smoking cessation methods, the vast majority (89.8%) of medical students were aware of nicotine patches and gum (highest prevalence in Spain, 96.3%), and 24.4% were aware of the use of antidepressants (highest prevalence in Germany, 33.6%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This European survey found that the prevalence of smoking was higher among medical students than the general population. There is a strong need to provide medical students with training in smoking cessation techniques.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Sapienza University of Rome, Viale Regina Elena 324, 00161 Rome, Italy. giuseppe.latorre@uniroma1.it
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: La Torre
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Kirch
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bes-Rastrollo
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Ramos
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Czaplicki
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Gualano
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Thümmler
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Ricciardi
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Boccia
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005060:Europe / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013337:Students, Medical / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult