OBJECTIVE: To determine the coverage of smoking restriction policies in indoor workplaces in China and to assess the relationships between these restrictive policies and secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure and smoking behaviours. METHODS: A cross-sectional household survey was conducted in six counties in Sichuan, Jiangxi and Henan provinces in 2004. Using a standardised questionnaire, information on demographic characteristics, knowledge, attitudes and behaviours related to smoking and SHS exposure was collected through face-to-face interviews by trained local investigators among 12 036 respondents. Of respondents, 2698 individuals worked mainly indoors and were included in data analysis. RESULTS: Only 28.5% of respondents reported that indoor workplaces had a smoke-free policy. Even when respondents reported smoke-free policies, 41.1% smokers reported that they were non-compliant with policies and smoked at work. In addition, 32.0% of non-smokers reported being exposed to SHS at work despite smoke-free policies. Non-smokers who reported no smoking restriction policies were 3.7 times more likely to be exposed to SHS than those working in smoke-free workplaces (adjusted OR 3.7, 95% CI 1.3 to 10.1). On average, respondents complying with smoke-free policies smoked 3.8 fewer cigarettes than those reporting no policies in their workplaces at a marginally non-significant level (p=0.06) (adjusted mean difference -3.8, 95% CI -8.0 to 0.5). CONCLUSIONS: In China, few workplaces have implemented policies to restrict smoking, and, even in workplaces that have policies, workers report exposure to SHS while at their places of employment. Many workers report a lack of compliance with smoke-free policies. China needs better implementation of SHS policies to promote compliance. Working to improve implementation of smoke-free policies would promote cessation since Chinese smokers who were compliant with these efforts reported smoking fewer cigarettes per day.
OBJECTIVE: To determine the coverage of smoking restriction policies in indoor workplaces in China and to assess the relationships between these restrictive policies and secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure and smoking behaviours. METHODS: A cross-sectional household survey was conducted in six counties in Sichuan, Jiangxi and Henan provinces in 2004. Using a standardised questionnaire, information on demographic characteristics, knowledge, attitudes and behaviours related to smoking and SHS exposure was collected through face-to-face interviews by trained local investigators among 12 036 respondents. Of respondents, 2698 individuals worked mainly indoors and were included in data analysis. RESULTS: Only 28.5% of respondents reported that indoor workplaces had a smoke-free policy. Even when respondents reported smoke-free policies, 41.1% smokers reported that they were non-compliant with policies and smoked at work. In addition, 32.0% of non-smokers reported being exposed to SHS at work despite smoke-free policies. Non-smokers who reported no smoking restriction policies were 3.7 times more likely to be exposed to SHS than those working in smoke-free workplaces (adjusted OR 3.7, 95% CI 1.3 to 10.1). On average, respondents complying with smoke-free policies smoked 3.8 fewer cigarettes than those reporting no policies in their workplaces at a marginally non-significant level (p=0.06) (adjusted mean difference -3.8, 95% CI -8.0 to 0.5). CONCLUSIONS: In China, few workplaces have implemented policies to restrict smoking, and, even in workplaces that have policies, workers report exposure to SHS while at their places of employment. Many workers report a lack of compliance with smoke-free policies. China needs better implementation of SHS policies to promote compliance. Working to improve implementation of smoke-free policies would promote cessation since Chinese smokers who were compliant with these efforts reported smoking fewer cigarettes per day.
Authors: Dariush Mozaffarian; Ashkan Afshin; Neal L Benowitz; Vera Bittner; Stephen R Daniels; Harold A Franch; David R Jacobs; William E Kraus; Penny M Kris-Etherton; Debra A Krummel; Barry M Popkin; Laurie P Whitsel; Neil A Zakai Journal: Circulation Date: 2012-08-20 Impact factor: 29.690
Authors: Geoffrey T Fong; Genevieve Sansone; Mi Yan; Lorraine Craig; Anne C K Quah; Yuan Jiang Journal: Tob Control Date: 2015-09-25 Impact factor: 7.552
Authors: James F Thrasher; Erika Nayeli Abad-Vivero; Ernesto M Sebrié; Tonatiuh Barrientos-Gutierrez; Marcelo Boado; Hua Hie Yong; Edna Arillo-Santillán; Eduardo Bianco Journal: Health Policy Plan Date: 2012-11-21 Impact factor: 3.344
Authors: Frances A Stillman; Michelle R Kaufman; Anjie Zhen; Jingyan Yang; Jiangbo Wang; Na Zhao Journal: BMC Public Health Date: 2013-10-17 Impact factor: 3.295