The Global Tobacco Surveillance System (GTSS): Lessons Learned Conducting School-Based Surveys in over 130 Countries

Nathan R. Jones, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Charles Warren, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Samira Asma, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

The Global Tobacco Surveillance System (GTSS) has collected data on youth and adult tobacco use since 1999. Over 130 countries have conducted components of the GTSS among over 2 million students. The GTSS includes data collection through three surveys: the Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS) for youth, and the Global School Personnel Survey (GSPS) and the Global Health Professional Survey (GHPS) for adults. A key strength of GTSS is consistency in sampling procedures, core questionnaire items, field procedures, and data analysis across all survey sites. GTSS represents the most comprehensive tobacco surveillance system ever developed and implemented. Countries can use GTSS to monitor tobacco use among youth and adults; guide development, implementation, and evaluation of national tobacco prevention and control programs; and allow comparison of tobacco-related data at national, regional, and global levels. This paper will present select lessons learned during nearly 7 years of school-based survey activities.