title: [Smoking rates among students of Medicine at a university institute in Buenos Aires: Cross section-study].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Argentina has a smoking rate among adults of 22.1%; previous research has shown medical students smoke at the same rate than the general population. Physicians' smoking status affects their ability to provide anti-smoking advice.
  
  
  METHODS
  Observational cross-sectional study. In 2011 a survey was administered to medical students at Hospital Italiano de Buenos Aires School of Medicine asking about demographic and tobacco use characteristics, and knowledge and attitudes toward smoking.
  
  
  RESULTS
  217 students were interviewed (response rate: 97.7%). Of these, 58.1% were in the school's initial years, and 41.9% in the latest ones; 63 (29%) were current smokers. Current smokers were less likely to agree with a smoking ban in enclosed spaces such as restaurants, bars and schools (88.9% vs 97.4%, P=0.034); 68.7% of respondents referred having received training on smoking cessation (98.9% among advanced students). However, 41.5% did not acknowledge the utility of nicotinic replacement therapy for smoking cessation, and only 11.1% knew about anti-smoking brief interventions. 60.4% wanted to receive more information about smoking.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Medical students at the Hospital Italiano smoke at the same rate than the general population. Although most have received some information on cessation strategies, it is insufficient.
authors.affiliation: Hospital de Emergencias Psiquiátricas "Torcuato de Alvear".
authors.forename: Lucas E
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Gonzalez
authors.forename: Nicolás A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Lescano
authors.forename: Sergio A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Terrasa
authors.forename: María V
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Salgado
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001118:Argentina; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology*; D013337:Students, Medical; D014505:Urban Population; D055815:Young Adult