title: Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS) in Poland 2009-2010--study strengths, limitations and lessons learned.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  A tobacco surveillance system is crucial for improving the planning and implementation of effective tobacco control policies. The purpose of the presented study was to describe a review of the process of implementation and methodological assumption of a Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS) conducted in Poland. The study strengths and limitations are evaluated, as well as some recommendations given for further tobacco surveillance activities in Poland.
  
  
  METHODS
  The Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS) was implemented in Poland between 2008-2010. The survey population selection process was based on a three-stage stratified geographically-clustered sample of a non-institutional population aged 15 years and over. Those who lived in institutions were not surveyed. The GATS questionnaire was very detailed and provides a significant amount of data. The filed work was preceded by several training sessions for all survey staff and the pretest. Questionnaires were administered in respondents' homes during the face-to-face interviews.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 14,000 households selected for the survey, 8,948 (63.9%) households and 7,840 (93.9%) sampled individuals completed the interviews. The total survey response rate was 65.1%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  GATS was an important step towards obtaining representative, current data on the tobacco epidemic in Poland. Basic results of the study are currently available. More in-depth analysis will provide useful data for public health experts and policymakers to assign resources and establish health priorities. Unfortunately, competing targets and lack of awareness on the part of stakeholders still constrains the financial resources available to those undertaking tobacco control research in Poland. The circumscribed capacity to undertake multidisciplinary policy research limits both the quality and quantity of such studies. There is an urgent need to establish a nationally coordinated plan for surveillance of data collection, use, access and dissemination, with defined institutional roles for each of these functions and the funds dedicated to the research.
authors: Department of Preventive Medicine, Medical University, Lodz, Poland. dkaleta@op.pl
authors: Dorota
authors: D
authors: Kaleta
authors: Bukola
authors: B
authors: Usidame
authors: Przemysław
authors: P
authors: Biliński
authors: Filip
authors: F
authors: Raciborski
authors: Bolesław
authors: B
authors: Samoliński
authors: Andrzej
authors: A
authors: Wojtyła
authors: Adam
authors: A
authors: Fronczak
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011044:Poland / Q000453:epidemiology; D011159:Population Surveillance / Q000379:methods*; D015995:Prevalence; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult