Hospital Smoke-Free Policy: Compliance, Enforcement, and Practices. A Staff Survey in Two Large Public Hospitals in Australia

Sam McCrabb, Amanda L. Baker, John Attia, Zsolt J. Balogh, Natalie Lott, Kerrin Palazzi, Justine Naylor, Ian A. Harris, Christopher M. Doran, Johnson George, Luke Wolfenden, Eliza Skelton and Billie Bonevski
Additional contact information
Sam McCrabb: School of Medicine and Public Health, Faculty of Health and Medicine, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, New South Wales 2308, Australia
Amanda L. Baker: School of Medicine and Public Health, Faculty of Health and Medicine, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, New South Wales 2308, Australia
John Attia: School of Medicine and Public Health, Faculty of Health and Medicine, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, New South Wales 2308, Australia
Zsolt J. Balogh: School of Medicine and Public Health, Faculty of Health and Medicine, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, New South Wales 2308, Australia
Natalie Lott: Department of Traumatology, John Hunter Hospital, New Lambton Heights, New South Wales 2305, Australia
Kerrin Palazzi: Hunter Medical Research Institute, University of Newcastle, New Lambton, New South Wales 2305, Australia
Justine Naylor: Whitlam Orthopaedic Research Centre, Ingham Institute for Applied Medical Research, Liverpool Hospital, Liverpool, New South Wales 2170, Australia
Ian A. Harris: Whitlam Orthopaedic Research Centre, Ingham Institute for Applied Medical Research, Liverpool Hospital, Liverpool, New South Wales 2170, Australia
Christopher M. Doran: School of Human, Health and Social Sciences, Central Queensland University, Brisbane, Queensland 4000, Australia
Johnson George: Centre for Medicine Use and Safety, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria 3052, Australia
Luke Wolfenden: School of Medicine and Public Health, Faculty of Health and Medicine, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, New South Wales 2308, Australia
Eliza Skelton: School of Medicine and Public Health, Faculty of Health and Medicine, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, New South Wales 2308, Australia
Billie Bonevski: School of Medicine and Public Health, Faculty of Health and Medicine, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, New South Wales 2308, Australia

IJERPH, 2017, vol. 14, issue 11, 1-12

Abstract: Background: Smoke-free hospital policies are becoming increasingly common to promote good health and quit attempts among patients who smoke. This study aims to assess: staff perceived enforcement and compliance with smoke-free policy; the current provision of smoking cessation care; and the characteristics of staff most likely to report provision of care to patients. Methods: An online cross-sectional survey of medical, nursing, and allied staff from two Australian public hospitals was conducted. Staff report of: patient and staff compliance with smoke-free policy; perceived policy enforcement; the provision of the 5As for smoking cessation (Ask, Assess, Advise, Assist, and Arrange follow-up); and the provision of stop-smoking medication are described. Logistic regressions were used to determine respondent characteristics related to the provision of the 5As and stop-smoking medication use during hospital admission. Results: A total of 805 respondents participated. Self-reported enforcement of smoke-free policy was low (60.9%), together with compliance for both patients (12.9%) and staff (23.6%). The provision of smoking cessation care was variable, with the delivery of the 5As ranging from 74.7% (ask) to 18.1% (arrange follow-up). Medical staff (odds ratio (OR) = 2.09, CI = 1.13, 3.85, p = 0.018) and full time employees (OR = 2.03, CI = 1.06, 3.89, p = 0.033) were more likely to provide smoking cessation care always/most of the time. Stop-smoking medication provision decreased with increasing age of staff (OR = 0.98, CI = 0.96, 0.99, p = 0.008). Conclusions: Smoke-free policy enforcement and compliance and the provision of smoking cessation care remains low in hospitals. Efforts to improve smoking cessation delivery by clinical staff are warranted.

Keywords: smoking cessation care; tobacco control; smoke-free policy (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2017
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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