The 13th World Conference on Tobacco OR Health

Objective: Major objective of the study was to explore the role of public health schools in controlling tobacco smoking in the country.

Methods: A cross-sectional study by using qualitative method was carried out. Two focus group discussions among the students and university teachers were conducted. Literature review was also done before and during the study.

Results: Nepalese women have highest rate of tobacco consumption (29%) in SEAR. 14,000 people have been reported to be died of tobacco use in Nepal. A studyudy among medical doctors in Nepal (2001) showed that 15% doctor smokes.Factors affecting to start smoking were; to be smart and energetic (67%) and relief tension (33%).

Public Health Schools; Institute of Medicine, Tribhuvan University, Nepal Institute of Health Sciences, and BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences who are offering public health programs should work collaboratively. A national network of these institutions should be formed.This group will be catalyst in reviewing the research papers and communicate them to the policy makers to in-build the important knowledge into the policy. It is identified that all schools should a) introduce and enforce a schools' policy on tobacco consumption, b) instruct on short- and long-term negative physiologic and social consequences of tobacco use, and refusal skills, c) tobacco-use prevention education and offer term paper d) provide program-specific training for faculty members, e) support cessation efforts among students and excel it to community level through community diagnosis tool, and f) encourage the students to conduct research on tobacco consumptions.