Background: Tobacco smoking is the most important modifiable risk factor of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs). According to WHO tobacco-related disorders every year kills 5,4 million people worldwide. In Poland tobacco smoking was the cause of approximately 69 000 deaths (57 000 among man and 12 000 among women). Tobacco smoking is also the important factor of economic consequences caused by work absences, low work productivity and tobacco-related disorders treatment.
Aim: The aim of the study was to investigate the prevalence of tobacco smoking and its determinants in working population from the Swietokrzyskie voivodeship.
Material and methods: The study population consisted of randomly selected working adults living in the Swietokrzyskie voivodeship. The research tools included a questionnaire inquiring about data concerning healthy habits. In the statistic analysis the Chi2 test was used and the relationship between variables was estimated at p < 0.05.
Results: The study group consisted of 599 people (55.3% females and 44.7% males) aged 18-67. The research found out that 25% of respondents (21.1% of women and 29.9% of men) smoked cigarettes. A statistically significant correlation between men and women was revealed in terms of intensity of smoking (p < 0.01). The ratio of smoking among individuals with the primary/secondary level of education and inhabitants of cities with fifty to one hundred thousand people was higher (p < 0.05; p < 0.01). The study results showed also that the smoking rate was higher among physical workers and working in shifts (p < 0.01). Age, economic status, trade and occupational position were not connected with the fact of smoking in the study group.
Conclusions: The data presented in the review confirm the correlation between the frequency of tobacco smoking and education level, place of living and job characteristics. Frequency of tobacco smoking in working population from Swietokrzyskie voivodeship indicate that special prophylactic programs should be addressed to professionally active.