Are Smoking Habits Changing Among Spanish Health Professionals? Results from the SUN Cohort 1999-2008

• Published in: Tobacco use insights Vol. 2009; no. 2; p. 17
• Main Authors: Ruiz-Canela, M., Martínez-González, M.A., Burgo, C. López-del, De Irala, J., Beunza, J.J., Bes-Rastrollo, M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London, England SAGE Publishing 01-01-2009; SAGE Publications; Sage Publications Ltd. (UK); Sage Publications Ltd
• Subjects: Forecasts and trends; Health aspects; Health behavior; Medical personnel; Tobacco habit; Spain; cohort studies; physicians; pharmacists; nurses; smoking
• ISSN: 1179-173X; 1179-173X
• DOI: 10.4137/TUI.S3001

M. Ruiz-Canela1, M.A. Martínez-González2, C. López-del Burgo2, J. de Irala2, J.J. Beunza2 and M. Bes-Rastrollo21Department of Biomedical Humanities, School of Medicine, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain. 2Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, School of Medicine, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain. Abstract Introduction: Smoking by health professionals is a very negative habit not only for their own health, but also because it diminishes their capacity to influence their smoker patients to quit their habits.Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the trend of the smoking prevalence, as well as the impact of the 2005 Spanish Smoking Act, among healthcare professionals.Methods: Participants were asked about their smoking consumption in the baseline and the follow-up questionnaires in a Spanish dynamic prospective cohort of university graduates (the SUN Project) from 1999 to 2008. Non-conditional logistic regression models were fit to assess the relationship between type of profession and prevalence of smoking.Results: The proportion of current smokers at the entrance into the cohort was 16.4% for physicians, 20.8% for pharmacists, 23.4% for nurses and 24% for other university graduates. The risk of being current smoker (adjusted OR [95% CI]) was lower in physicians (0.68 [0.61-0.76]) but not in pharmacists (0.94 [0.84-1.06]) or nurses (0.94 [0.84-1.05]) compared to other university graduates. All professional groups presented a statistically significant decline of smoking prevalence from 1999 to 2008. This decline might be at least partly due to the impact of the Spanish legislation on their smoking habits.Conclusion: This study shows a decline in smoking prevalence among Spanish physicians. This decline has reached lower levels than what is current among other professionals and the general population. However, there is still a high number of smokers among health professionals, thus more efforts are needed to achieve lower levels of tobacco consumption.