Introduction: Smoking is the most preventable cause of death in human. Yet, it is still so prevalent in many societies. Although smoking rate is decreasing in the United States and Europe, it is still very high in other parts of the world. Unfortunately, smoking does not spare health care workers who are supposed to be the main help for public smoking cessation programs.

In Syria, smoking is a major health care concern,. Rate of smoking among health care workers is not well known. This study was designed to answer this question.

Purpose: estimating the rate of smoking among health care workers in Syria.

Setting: three major university, public and military hospitals, in addition to Damsacus school of Medicine.

Patients and methods: More than one thousands health care workers in three major hospitals and medical college were studied. Thses included 500 medical students, 210 physicians, 310 nurses and technicians. A 39-item questionnaire was distributed to all subjects. The questionnaire included questions on personal smoking habits, family and peer smoking history, perception about smoking, ability to stop smoking, awareness about smoking cessation programs and others.

Resullts: Priliminary results on medical students and nurses are now available. Complete data will be available in the conference.

smoking rate was 10%, 45%, and 30% among junior medical students (year 1-3), senior medical students (year 4-6), and nurses. Present or past smoking family members were 45% in medical students and about 70% in nurses. Overall rate of smoking was 50% in parents. Smoking friends were 55% in junior medical students, 85% in senior medical students, and 80% in nurses. Amount of smoking was at least 10 cigarettes/day in 65% of junior smokers, 40% of senior smokers, 66% in nurses.

Causes of starting smoking was diverse. Junior medical students considered social difficulties (60%) and study (30%) the most important factors. Senior students rated study first (50%), followed by social factors (40%). Social (65%) and family (30%) factors dominated in nurses. Changing of smoking habits in the last few years was towards increasing in 50% of junior students, and towards decreasing in 70% of senior students and 87% in nurses. The ability of stopping smoking easily was only 50% in junior students vs. 100% of senior and nurses. The percentage of people who tried to stop smoking in the past was 50% in medical students and 87% in nurses. Percentage of people who have never received advice for cessation were 10% in juniors, 35% in seniors, and 40% in nurses. Source of advice was different among groups: media (60%), and friends (55%) were the most common in students and nurses respectively. 50% of junior students and 70% of nurses vs. 30% of senior students were not aware of the presence of medical measures to help quit smoking.

For those who never smoked, they attributed their abstinence to health issues in 80-100% of cases, social issues (40-80%), family factors (40-60%), and economic factors in only 30-40% of the cases.

Conclusion: Smoking is prevalent among health care workers. Complex of factors contribute to the current situation. Lack of awareness and misconception among a lot of smoking-related issues prompt extensive campaign to help health care workers quit smoking. These HCW are supposed to be on the other side where they could help other smokers to eliminate this deadly habit.