Smoke-free hospitals in Greece: Personnel perceptions, compliance and smoking habit

Tobacco consumption is a leading cause of death and disability and a clear threat to global public health. In 2005, tobacco products were estimated to cause a death every six seconds and this number has been envisaged to increase if current trends prevail [1]. Comprehensive tobacco-control programmes that include smoke-free public places, smoking cessation services, price increases and mass media campaigns are just a number of tobacco control actions that can make the difference.Since August 2002, in line with EU regulations, Greece has enacted legislation that prohibits smoking in all health care service centres such as public and private hospitals, health centres and pharmacies (Health Law 76017), but just as with the majority of relative legislations in Greece it is bluntly ignored by many [2]. Health care professionals can influence both tobacco consumption and provide vital information on its negative health effects; however their smoking habits and their beliefs on tobacco control measures are an indicator of the role they may play in the de-normalisation of tobacco use.Taking the above into account, the purpose of our study is to investigate into hospital personnel (in a typical large regional hospital in Greece) with regards to their perceptions and compliance towards hospital smoking regulations and their current smoking habits.The sample population was selected from the University Hospital of Crete, which is located in Heraklion, Greece and provides primary and secondary care to the population of Heraklion and tertiary care to the population of Crete and the nearby islands. The hospital permanently employs 561 medical doctors and 480 nurses (1041 in total) out of which 10% were randomly selected (using the 2006 hospital personnel database and weighed according to the doctor/nurse ratio) and interviewed. Previous research in Greece has noted that the smoking prevalence among hospital staff is estimated at approximately 50% and although a higher number of re