Impact of a Comprehensive Anti-Smoking Program at a Regional University Hospital and Predictive Variables of Being a Smoker among Hospital Workers.

Antonio Ranchal-Sánchez,Jose Manuel Jurado-Castro,Manuel Vaquero-Abellán,África Ruiz-Gandara,Esperanza Romero-Rodríguez

doi:10.3390/ijerph17228432

Abstract

The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of a comprehensive anti-smoking health program conducted over twelve years at a regional university hospital in southern Spain. Prevalence of tobacco was compared retrospectively using data collected during occupational health assessments (n = 4291). Bivariate and logistic regression analyses were carried out to evaluate tobacco consumption differences according to age, sex, professional category, and workplace building. The results show a reduction in the active smoking rate among hospital staff evaluated (from 22.8% to 19.8%) with significant differences between non-health and health workers. Accumulated smoking consumption fell to 13.45 ± 14.60 packs/year with men presenting a higher consumption (p < 0.001). The predictive variables of tobacco use were sex (greater consumption among men, p = 0.021), number of cigarettes (greater consumption among professionals who smoked less than 1 pack/day, p < 0.001), and time smoking (greater use among professionals with more than 10 years smoking, p < 0.001). There was a higher rate of staff smokers at the hospital building with a majority of mental health inpatients. This study provides a practical example of making the optimum use of digital medical records in the evaluation of a comprehensive anti-smoking health program.

Highlights

In Spain, smoking causes an average of 51,870 deaths annually [1], so action is required to combat this addiction
The results of the multidisciplinary comprehensive program of anti-smoking measures conducted over twelve years, which included one consultation for smoking cessation, show a reduction in the rate of active smoking of the hospital staff evaluated
This was based, above all, on the increase in non-smoking healthcare staff compared to non-health staff, and young people—the majority of medical internal residents were non-smokers, with age being a relevant variable

Summary

Introduction

In Spain, smoking causes an average of 51,870 deaths annually [1], so action is required to combat this addiction. In this context, the anti-smoking laws [2] have favoured the development of health programs to encourage smoking cessation among healthcare workers. A sizeable percentage of professionals (e.g., doctors, nurses, physiotherapists, technicians) are health workers and they should set a good example to the patients they attend in their daily work. It would be desirable for most hospitals to implement these programs. A recent meta-analysis [5] concluded that the prevalence of smoking among health workers remains high, which is why urgent action is required, as they constitute the front line when dealing with

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