The 13th World Conference on Tobacco OR Health

Objective: to assess smoking habits, knowledge and attitudes among hospital health staff in Tunisia

Methods: Our survey was carried out into the largest wide hospital of Tunis (Hopital Charles Nicolle) and interested 1947 subjects. A questionnaire with 52 questions bases on that of the WHO and International Union against Lung Diseases for health professionals was administrated. No smokers were defined as those who had never smoked or smoked less than 100 cigarettes in his life. Ex-smokers were those who had formerly smoked but no longer did so.

Results: Fifty eight percents of respondents were female and 51,6% of the subjects were professional nurses, 20,9% doctors, 23,9 % workers , 3,6% were administrators. Prevalence of smoking habits was 26,9% and 9,1% were ex-smokers. The highest number of smokers was found among men (51%) compared to women (10,4%) and among workers compared to nurses and doctors. Cigarettes were the main tobacco used by health staff but 5% of males consumed narghile. Two third of smokers attempt to quit with 11,6% by using nicotine replacement therapy (NRT). The orders reasons of quitting were individual health concern, exemplarity for patients and expense of cigarettes. For this health staff, the most effective methods of quitting are psychological intervention (74%), NRT (63%), self help (23%), acupuncture (18%), antidepressant treatment (15%), Hypnosis (6,7%) and others (6%). The almost of the staff (72%) would like to receive smoking cessation training. Conclusion: A comprehensive intervention to limit smoking at the hospital is needed.