[Smoking habits among health staff in the county of Koprivnica-Krizevci--comparative study 1998 and 2002].

The study examined smoking habits among health care workers of all health institutions in the County of Koprivnica-Krizevci with the aim of establishing the prevalence. The first research of smoking habits was done in 1998 in order to get basic data about smoking habits, and the second research was carried out in 2002 with the aim of establishing a trend of smoking habits. An anonymous qestionnaire was given to all employees of all health institutions in the County. It was answered by 508 persons (44%) in 1998 and by 622 persons (50%) in 2002. As far as profession is concerned, 49 (53)% of those who answered the questionnaire were doctors, 24 (42)% dentists, 7 (9)% pharmacists, 53 (58)% were professional nurses and 28 (37)% administrative-technical non-health professionals. The data in parentheses are for 2002. The survey showed that of all employees who answered the questionnaire 34% in 1998 were smokers and 31% in 2002, while 17% were ex-smokers (1998 and 2002) and 48% in 1998 and 52% in 2002 have never been smokers. Although the damage of smoking and consequences is a matter of every day talk about, and the employees of health institutions are the first expected to set an example to become aware and informed, the data of this research showed that the decrease of prevalence of smokers among health care workers is very slow.