The smoking habits of nurses in New Zealand: results from the 1976 population census.

In the 1976 New Zealand population census, 25,641 female and 1682 male nurses responded to a question on cigarette smoking. Thirty-six percent of all female and 49% of all male nurses were cigarette smokers compared with 32% of women and 39% of men in the general population of 15 years and over. The highest rate of smoking was among psychiatric nurses of whom half were regular smokers. Two-thirds of psychiatric male nurse smokers smoked more than 20 cigarettes a day and 51% of the females. Those whose nursing duties were among pregnant women, infants and children smoked less than average, while nurses under 20 years of age smoked more than older or registered nurses. In contrast to those in other professional occupations, there are more smokers among nurses than the average for the New Zealand community.