RESUMO
BACKGROUND: In terms of tobacco consumption, health workers have been considered as reference group, however smoking prevalence in this group is higher than in general population. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of tobacco consumption among workers of a health institution in Catalonia during a period of 10 years (2001-2011), and to describe their characteristics. METHODS: The questionnaire on tobacco consumption prevalence was validated, and was administered in 2001, 2004, 2008 and 2011. A random sampling was carried out in two acute care institutions. The characteristics of the study sample and the differences between smokers were analyzed using the chi-square test for linear trend. A logistic regression model was performed including all the surveys. RESULTS: The smoking prevalence among health care workers for 2001, 2004, 2008 and 2011, was 30.00%, 34.42%, 36.21% and 29.42%, respectively. Women had the highest consumption prevalence (33,40%). Tobacco smoking decreased in medical staff, from 25.97% in 2001, to 18.88% in 2011 (p=0.005), and in nurses from 35,15% in 2001 to 25.61% in 2011 (p=0.007), but not among the administrative staff. CONCLUSION: Overall and for the first time, smoking prevalence in health workers begins to decrease. However, it does not decrease in the same way among all types of healthcare workers and the prevalence remains high when compared with the population prevalence. This consumption reduction coincides with the measures introduced by the program after the legislative changes.