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KMID : 0384320020230030313
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Korean Journal of Family Medicine
2002 Volume.23 No. 3 p.313 ~ p.324
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The short-term effect of a comprehensive smoke-free policy on hospital employees
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Jo Mi-Ran
Kim Seong-Won
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Abstract
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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 strongly 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 X2 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 responded. There was no significant difference in demographic characteristics and occupation mix between the two surveys. Although 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 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.
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KEYWORD
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hospital, smoking policy, passive smoking, smoking cessation
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