The short-term effect of a comprehensive smoke-free policy on hospital employees

Jo, Mi Ran; Kim, Seong Won

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Because passive smoking causes lung cancer, ischemic heart disease, and stroke in nonsmokers, implementation of policy to prevent workplace environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) are deadly needed. Most of our hospital employees desire more strict smoke-free policy as shown in a questionnaire survey conducted in January 1999. This study was to investigate the short-term effect of a comprehensive smoke-free policy on hospital employees which prohibited any smoking within the hospital building since March 15, 1999.
METHODS
The first survey was carried out on January 1999 including all the employees of Sanggye Paik Hospital as subjects. After two months a second round of survey was done to monitor the effects of the new regulation. Questions included in the survey were subjects' demographic characteristics, smoking history, perception and observance of no-smoking areas, and change in perception of ETS. Smokers were questioned about changes in smoking rate after the new policy. Statistical analysis was done using and paired t-test to detect if there was any statistical significance after enforcing the new smoke-free policy.
RESULTS
Among total 1,026 employees, 621 subjects (men 146, women 475) in the first survey and 552 subjects (men 146, women 406) in the second survey were responded. There was no significant difference in demographic characteristics and occupation mix between the two surveys. Although the perception and observance of no-smoking areas were increased after the new policy, half of nonsmokers replied that the new policy was not well observed. 76.9% of subjects replied the exposure to cigarette smoke during work decreased. The question item asking the smokers of the amount of cigarettes smoked after the new policy adopted revealed a decrease in 2.83( 0.48) cigarettes during the working hours(p=0.0001), a decrease in 1.18( 0.29) cigarettes during the non-working hours(p=0.0002). However, 84.0% of nonsmokers agreed on total ban within the premises of hospital or more stringent regulation for violation of the policy.
CONCLUSION
Despite several limitations, this study suggests that a comprehensive smoke-free policy in hospital has a positive impact on the reduction of smoker's cigarettes consumption as well as reduction of ETS exposure on the nonsmokers.