Behaviors and attitudes towards smoking among the nurses in Japan

The study was carried to investigate on the actual conditions related to smoking of the nurses working in all medical institutions under a regional medical association in Mie Prefecture (regional medical institutions). Results obtained were as follows: smoking prevalence of female nurses is considered to be equal to that of the general female population in Japan. About 35% of the nurses with the smoking habit had an opinion to quit it, and about 45% of them practiced it seriously. Nearly 80% nurses favored restriction. In the way of thinking related to smoking, more than 90% of the nurses answered that women should not smoke for the health of the fetuses and infants, while only about 30% of them agreed to stop smoking working as members of the medical staff. The survey suggests that anti-smoking program is necessary to develop for smoking nurses working at medical facilities.