Cent Eur J Public Health 2025, 33(2):148-151 | DOI: 10.21101/cejph.a8435

Tobacco use among health professionals: example of one of the largest Czech hospitals, 2012-2023

Eva Králíková1, 2, Lenka Štěpánková1, Anna Horňáková2
1 Centre for Tobacco Dependence, Third Medical Department, Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, and General University Hospital in Prague, Prague, Czech Republic
2 Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, and General University Hospital in Prague, Prague, Czech Republic

Objectives: The General University Hospital in Prague (GUH) is one of the largest hospitals in the Czech Republic. The prevalence of smoking among hospital staff is monitored as part of its Health Promoting Hospitals (HPH) network membership.

Methods: This study employed a cross-sectional design, utilizing anonymous questionnaires distributed to all hospital employees in the years 2012 and 2023 through the hospital's electronic system (response rates 25% and 28%, respectively). Data were analysed using chi-square tests to compare smoking prevalence across time and among subgroups based on profession, sex and age group.

Results: The total prevalence of smoking decreased from 38.4% in 2012 to 14.5% in 2023. Among all doctors, the rates fell from 15.86% to 6.75% (p < 0.001). For male doctors, the figures changed from 17.05% to 9.27% (p = 0.012), while for female doctors, the rates decreased from 15.22% to 5.24% (p = 0.001). Among nurses, the smoking prevalence declined from 44.59% to 17.64% (p < 0.001).

Conclusion: The statistically significant reduction in smoking rates (p < 0.05) among both doctors and nurses is encouraging; however, there remains room for improvement. An increase in the use of other tobacco products was observed, particularly among nurses.

Keywords: smoking, tobacco and nicotine addiction, healthcare professionals, physicians, nurses

Received: October 8, 2024; Revised: June 17, 2025; Accepted: June 17, 2025; Published: June 30, 2025  Show citation

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Králíková E, Štěpánková L, Horňáková A. Tobacco use among health professionals: example of one of the largest Czech hospitals, 2012-2023. Cent Eur J Public Health. 2025;33(2):148-151. doi: 10.21101/cejph.a8435.
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