Objective-To estimate the prevalence of smoking and the attitudes towards t
he restriction of smoking at work among female nurses in the national hospi
tals in Japan.
Design-Questionnaires mailed to 14 randomly selected national hospitals and
sanitariums in Japan in 1993. Subjects-2207 female nurses.
Main outcome measures-Smoking status and history, and attitudes towards the
restriction of smoking at work.
Results-The prevalence of smoking among female nurses was 18.6%, which was
higher than the age-adjusted prevalence of the general female population us
ing this study's subjects as a standardised population. Banning smoking in
the hospital in which they worked was supported by 15.0%, whereas 81.6% sup
ported the restriction of smoking.
Conclusions-The results showed that smoking is more common among female nur
ses than among the general female adult population. The survey suggested th
at nurses favour restriction, but not banning, of smoking.