title: Tobacco Smoking Habits Among First Year Medical Students, University of Prishtina, Kosovo: Cross-sectional Study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Tobacco smoking remains the leading causes of preventable morbidity and mortality in the world, requiring intensified national and international public health response. World Health Organization (WHO) has urged health professional organizations to encourage and support their members to be models for not using tobacco products and promote tobacco-free culture. Healthcare students are the future authority of the health society, they are in a position to play a vital role and have impact on social norms related to smoking.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine the prevalence of tobacco smoking among healthcare students of Medical Faculty, University of Prishtina in Kosovo, so that recommendations can be made for its cessation among healthcare providers and thereafter the community.
  
  
  METHODS
  Descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted using self-administrated questionnaire prepared for this purpose. A total of 284 first year healthcare students of Medical Faculty, University of Prishtina in Kosovo were enrolled in the study. The data were analyzed using SPSS 22.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All respondents completed the questionnaire, giving a response rate of 100% (general medicine=180, dentistry = 104). The prevalence of students who have ever smoked was 53.2%. However, only 8.9% (9.1% M vs. 8.7% F) of the general medicine students and 5.8% (4.8% M vs. 6.5% F) of dentistry students declared that smoke tobacco every day. Overall, the research shows that the prevalence of occasional smokers among medical students in Kosova is quite high.
authors.affiliation: University Clinical Centre of Kosovo, Prishtina, Kosovo.
authors.forename: Frederik
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Çuperjani
authors.affiliation: Peja Regional Hospital, Peja, Kosovo.
authors.forename: Shkëlzen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Elezi
authors.affiliation: Kosovo occupational Health Institute- Gjakova, Gjakova, Kosovo.
authors.forename: Albert
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lila
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, University of Prishtina, Prishtina, Kosovo.
authors.forename: Qëndresë
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Daka
authors.affiliation: University Clinical Centre of Kosovo, Prishtina, Kosovo.
authors.forename: Qëndrim
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Dakaj
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, University of Prishtina, Prishtina, Kosovo ; National Institute of Public Health of Kosova, Prishtina, Kosovo.
authors.forename: Sanije
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gashi
keywords: Kosovo; Smoking; healthcare students