Hospital staff and smoking habits: do we need modification of smoking behavior in Polish hospitals?

The purpose of the work was to analyze the smoking behaviors of the medical staff in hospitals. A typical group of employees in one of the biggest hospitals in Poland was examined thoroughly. The medical examination was carried out by means of standardized investigative instruments--questionnaires processed by the European Network for Smoke-free Hospital. In the studied group, 26% of persons admitted that they smoked, while nearly 12% persons confirmed their addiction. Statistically, it was confirmed that addiction to smoking is conditioned by practice, but the percentage of smoking people was the lowest in the professional group of physicians. However, physicians admitted they smoked in hospitals most often. It is a crucial factor for the psychological preventive treatment as well as for changes in the health behaviors among patients. Also, some factors, which determined smoking, such as a large number of duty hours, were identified. On the basis of the analysis of health behaviors, the authors made an evaluation of the possible solutions that could lead to a reduction of the percentage of smoking employees in the health public institutions.