Global Youth Tobacco Survey
Data Release Policy
Tobacco is a major preventable cause of premature death and disease worldwide. Tobacco control requires
an efficient and systematic surveillance mechanism to monitor trends in its consumption. The Global Tobacco
Surveillance System (GTSS) addresses this need through its three components: the Global Youth Tobacco
Survey (GYTS), the Global School Personnel Survey (GSPS), and the Global Health Professions Students Survey
(GHPSS).
The GYTS, a school-based survey of students aged 13-15 years, collects and disseminates information on
prevalence of tobacco use and consumption, media and advertising coverage, exposure to secondhand
smoke, access and availability of tobacco products, cessation of tobacco use, and school curricula that
incorporate issues related to tobacco use. The GSPS is a survey of all school personnel working in schools
selected to participate in the GYTS. The GHPSS is a school-based survey of third-year students pursuing
advanced degrees in dentistry, medicine, nursing, and pharmacy. The GTSS was developed in late 1998
and initiated in 1999 to assist countries in planning, developing, implementing, and evaluating their
comprehensive tobacco control programs. In December 2005, this policy was finalized.
This data release policy paper has been developed as a series of discussions between the lead agenciesthe
World Health Organization (WHO), the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the
Canadian Public Health Association (CPHA). The purpose of this paper is to define the partners' roles formally,
state the policies and procedures for data collecting and processing, and state details regarding release of the
GTSS data. This paper is to ensure standardization of country-level GTSS development and serve as a reference
guide for GTSS implementation and dissemination.
Page last reviewed 04/30/2009
Page last modified 04/30/2009
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