Table 2 Descriptive characteristics of health professional students regarding perceptions about HP’s role in tobacco control, Pakistan 2011 (n = 3445)*

Sex

 Female

2204

1275 (67.0)

929 (60.2)

< 0.001

 Male

1241

628 (33.0)

613 (39.8)

Age in years (categorical)

 19-24

3360

1861 (97.8)

1499 (97.2)

0.397

 25-29

70

36 (1.9)

34 (2.2)

 ≥ 30

15

6 (0.3)

9 (0.6)

Use of any form of tobacco

 No

2923

1658 (87.1)

1265 (82.0)

< 0.001

 Yes

522

245 (12.9)

277 (18.0)

Use of any form of tobacco at institute

 I have never used

2056

1216 (63.9)

840 (54.5)

< 0.001

 No

144

82 (4.3)

62 (4.0)

 Yes

1245

605 (31.8)

640 (41.5)

Knowledge about official policy on tobacco ban

 No official policy

1609

883 (46.4)

726 (47.1)

0.690

 Yes, for at least institute or clinics

1836

1020 (53.6)

816 (52.9)

Viewpoint about ban enforcement at institute

 Yes

1102

622 (32.7)

480 (31.1)

0.033

 No

1364

717 (37.7)

647 (42.0)

 Institute has no official policy

979

564 (29.6)

415 (26.9)

Knowledge about tobacco use cessation techniques

 Good knowledge

832

509 (26.7)

323 (20.9)

< 0.001

 Poor knowledge

2613

1394 (73.3)

1219 (79.1)

Formal training on tobacco use cessation techniques

 Yes

835

497 (26.1)

338 (21.9)

0.004

 No

2610

1406 (73.9)

1204 (78.1)

Attitude towards ban on tobacco use

Ban on tobacco sale to adolescents < 18 years

 Yes

3099

1766 (92.8)

1333 (86.4)

< 0.001

 No

346

137 (7.2)

209 (13.6)

Ban on tobacco advertisements

 Yes

3116

1789 (94.0)

1327 (86.1)

< 0.001

 No

329

114 (6.0)

215 (13.9)

Ban on tobacco use at public places

 Yes

2820

1655 (87.0)

1165 (75.6)

< 0.001

 No

625

248 (13.0)

377 (24.4)

Health professionals

 Dental

324

209 (11.0)

115 (7.5)

0.002

 Medical

2272

1240 (65.2)

1032 (66.9)

 Pharmacy

849

454 (23.8)

395 (25.6)