title: Self-health attitudes and practices of obstetrics and gynecology nurses in Israel.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the attitude of obstetrics and gynecology nurses towards their own health and their health-related behaviors.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two hundred and ninety community obstetrics and gynecology nurses in Israel were asked to complete a questionnaire on attitude to self-health, way of life, smoking habits, and regular breast, blood and PAP smear examinations.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The average body mass index of the responders was 25.2 kg/m2. However, more than half the nurses (163/287, 56.8%) considered themselves as being above-average in weight, and only 41.1% as being appropriate in weight; 55% were on weight-loss diets. Smoking was reported by 44.8%. Blood tests, PAP smears and breast evaluations were regularly done by 72.5%, 83.0% and 55.7%, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Obstetrics and Gynecology nurses in Israel are aware of the importance of their own health and have good health habits, except for cigarette smoking, which remains a problem among this group.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Israel.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kaplan
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yogev
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fisher
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Gall
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dekel
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sulkes
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Rabinerson
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001828:Body Image; D016504:Breast Self-Examination; D005260:Female; D006176:Gynecology; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D007557:Israel; D008019:Life Style; D008875:Middle Aged; D009726:Nurses / Q000523:psychology*; D009773:Obstetric Nursing; D012907:Smoking; D000078329:Workforce