ABSTRACT

In this descriptive and cross-sectional study, the frequency of and factors affecting smoking among 919 nurses were examined. Nurses working at the Medicine Faculty of Meram Maternity Hospital, Social Security Hospital, Province Health Administration of Konya and State Hospital were included in this study. Data were obtained via a standardized questionnaire form. Of all the nurses, (13.3% male and 86.7% female) 52.4% were ever-smokers, 38.5% never-smokers, 9.1% ex-smokers and the quit ratio was 14.7%. The lowest age of starting smoking was 7, the highest age was 38 and the median value was 20. Of the participants, 51% started to smoke at the age of 26 and over. Social factors (environment, friends, etc.) were the first reasons to start smoking (43.8%). Approximately, 70.2% of ever-smokers had tried to stop smoking. In the families of non-smokers, the ratio of never-smoking was significantly high (p<0.001). The ratio of smoking among the close friends who were eversmokers was significantly higher than the ratio among the non-smokers (p<0.001). Our study indicates that nearly half of the nurses are smokers. Therefore, to prevent and reduce smoking among nurses, further researches and more effective smoking cessation programs should be carried out.