title: [Estimating the prevalence of tobacco addiction by a method of online survey among students from Lviv and Suwalki].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Poland and Ukraine are countries with a common 535 km border as well as the same cultural roots. This is why we might determine that the young people from Ukraine and Poland would have the same behaviours. On the other hand, the Polish-Ukrainian border is the external border of the EU, and Polish' membership in the EU does change the model of behaviour. An interesting aspect of this joint research is that Poland is one of the EU countries that are exposed to the phenomenon of smuggling of tobacco products. It is determined by the location of the border with Russia, Belarus and Ukraine, from which most of the illegal cigarettes in EU are smuggled. Usually, these cigarettes are destined for the countries of Western Europe and Poland is only a transit country. Recently though, it is more and more becoming a country of destination for cigarette smuggling. Therefore, in times when Ukraine plans to sign an association agreement with the European Union, it is interesting to examine the pro-health attitudes that are most common among young people living on both sides of the border. This is even more interesting that the study concerns not only cultural, but also economical issues, because inappropriate behaviors from childhood and young adulthood may be the cause of many future diseases such as stroke or heart attack.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Estimating the prevalence of tobacco addiction using web-based surveys LimeSurvey among virtual research teams of students from Lviv and Suwalki.
  
  
  METHODS
  In the academic year 2012/2013 at the Medical University in Lviv and at the Higher State Vocational School in Suwalki a survey on the lifestyle of medical students of different majors was conducted with a special regard to smoking.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Students from Lviv and Suwalki are characterized by the same moderate level of healthy lifestyle awareness and make the same mistakes concerning negative health effects.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Students of medical majors, despite higher-than-average knowledge on the correct healthy behaviors do not implement their knowledge to real life. It is necessary to pay more attention to this group of young people while carrying on health awareness programs as encouraging young people to lead a healthy lifestyle can significantly affect the reduction in the risk of lifestyle diseases.
authors: Uniwersytet Medyczny we Lwowie, Ukraina.
authors: Natalia
authors: N
authors: Dorosh
authors: Uniwersytet Medyczny we Lwowie, Ukraina.
authors: Oxana
authors: O
authors: Boyko
authors: Państwowa Wyzsza Szkola Zawodowa im. Edwarda F. Szczepanika w Suwalkach.
authors: Ewa
authors: E
authors: Kleszczewska
authors: Katedra Ekonomii Politycznej, Uniwersytet w Bialymstoku.
authors: Katarzyna
authors: K
authors: Łogwiniuk
authors: Państwowa Wyzsza Szkola Zawodowa im. Edwarda F. Szczepanika w Suwalkach.
authors: Tomasz
authors: T
authors: Kleszczewski
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D011044:Poland / Q000453:epidemiology; D011159:Population Surveillance; D015995:Prevalence; D040242:Risk Reduction Behavior; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology*; D013334:Students / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013336:Students, Health Occupations / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014029:Tobacco Use Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology*; D014455:Ukraine / Q000453:epidemiology