[Survey on smoking in nursing students]

The study reports the results of a survey about smoking collected by a self-administered questionnaire in nursing students at Pavia University. Responders were 393 (80%: M = 132, F = 261, mean age 24.66 +/- 5.64). 45% of the students (51.5% males and 41.8% females) were smokers. Cigarettes consumption was 12.33 cigarettes/day in males and 10.49 cigarettes/day in females; males began smoking at 16 years of age, while females at 17 years. Smoking in family members as well as father's educational level were positively associated to smoking. 66.5% of smokers stated they would like to quit and the most of them are pressed in this decision by family (49.7%) and friends (49.2%). The results of the study describe an unhealthy lifestyle: in future it seems necessary to organize counselling or interventions in order to quit smoking.