title: Knowledge, attitudes and tobacco use among nursing and physiotherapy students.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  As future health educators, nursing and physiotherapy students will play an essential role in the prevention of smoking.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine the prevalence of smoking among students and to analyse their knowledge of and attitudes towards smoking.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a descriptive cross-sectional study using an anonymous questionnaire and conducted in a Spanish Faculty of Health Sciences in 2013.
  
  
  RESULTS
  247 nursing and physiotherapy students (82.33%) participated in the study. The global prevalence of smoking (18.2%) was lower compare with the general population group of the same age. We have observed statistical significance in relation to previous studies. Nursing and physiotherapy students showed a low nicotine dependence. We found a lack of knowledge about the harmful effects of cigarette consumption on health. Statistically significant results were also found in relation to degree courses (p < 0.01) as regards students' opinions about their knowledge of strategies and methods to help patients stop smoking.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Most students started smoking before commencing their university studies; consequently, interventions should focus on cessation programmes. An analysis of university curricula leading to the award of a degree in the health sciences could serve to identify educational deficiencies in order to implement the necessary modifications.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This paper presents an update in tobacco use characteristics amongst nursing and physiotherapy students. Those results have showed a need to improve the curricula in order to develop specific programmes to improve knowledge, attitudes and beliefs. Measures to prevent smoking must be taken at school.
authors: Department of Nursing and Physiotherapy, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of León, León, Spain.
authors: D
authors: D
authors: Fernández
authors: Division of Nursing, University Hospital of León, León, Spain.
authors: B
authors: B
authors: Ordás
authors: Department of Nursing and Physiotherapy, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of León, León, Spain.
authors: M J
authors: MJ
authors: Álvarez
authors: Department of Toxicology, University of León, León, Spain.
authors: C
authors: C
authors: Ordóñez
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004508:Education, Nursing, Baccalaureate; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D026761:Physical Therapy Specialty / Q000193:education*; D015995:Prevalence; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology*; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D013336:Students, Health Occupations / Q000523:psychology*; D013338:Students, Nursing / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Attitudes; Beliefs; Cigarette Smoking; Knowledge; Nursing; Physiotherapy; Prevalence Studies; Students