The smoking prevalence among undergraduate students of the University of São Paulo, school of nursing

Abstract

Survey among undergraduate students to find out whether they were daily or occasional smokers, and whether this habit was acquired before or after their entrance into the School. From the total of 314 students registered in 1998, 80,9% filled out the questionnaire, among those 49,2% have already experienced to smoke, and 15,0 % have continued smoking at the date of the study. Among smokers, 16 have started to smoke between the age of 16 and 20, 12 students started before, and three at age 21 or older. At the end, it is proposed that the School spread out "no smoking" signs within its environment; periodically organise workshops and seminars to encourage lecturers and students on smoking cessation; to actively participate in the World no Tobacco Day or include such activity in the work of a specific committee. At last, to disseminate WHO data and statistics on smoking consequences.