RAZŠIRJENOST KAJENJA MED MEDICINSKIMI SESTRAMI, BABICAMI IN ZDRAVSTVENIMI TEHNIKI V SLOVENIJI THE PREVALENCE OF SMOKING AMONG NURSES, MIDWIVES AND NURSING TECHNICIANS IN SLOVENIA

Background: Nurses can contribute significantly to tobacco control efforts with smoking cessation advise and/ or counselling, but the most important barrier for this is their own smoking. The aim of this study is to assess the prevalence of smoking among nurses in Slovenia. Methods: The analysis is based on data from a cross-sectional study on a nationally representative sample of nurses, midwives and health technicians (online survey). Randomly chosen members of the Nurses and Midwives Association of Slovenia responded in 51% (n=1500). We additionally obtained data on smoking status only from 218 persons, who otherwise did not want to participate in the survey. Results: 20.9% of nurses, midwives and health technicians in Slovenia smoke, more men (32.9%) than women (19.6%), more in the group with secondary education (25.1%) than in the group with a higher level of education (12.1%) and more in the group more with a lower self-assessed material standard, not living with a partner, without (preschool) children and among those whose close co-workers, friends and relatives smoke in high proportion. More than half (52.9%) started to smoke during secondary school and a significant proportion (15.6%) during the first years of employment. 20% of them state that employees violate the ban on smoking in the institution where they work.