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Banning smoking in a children's hospital: are employees supportive?
D M Becker1, H F Conner, H R Waranch
1Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, Maryland 21205.
Insights
A survey of hospital employees found most support a total smoking ban. Targeted smoking cessation programs can improve policy acceptance among current smokers.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Occupational Health
- Healthcare Policy
Background:
- Workplace smoking bans are increasingly implemented in healthcare settings to promote health.
- Assessing employee attitudes is crucial for successful policy adoption and implementation.
- Children's hospitals face unique challenges in balancing patient well-being with employee needs.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the readiness of hospital employees for a total smoking ban.
- To identify factors influencing employee support for a smoke-free environment.
- To inform policy development regarding smoking in children's healthcare facilities.
Main Methods:
- A survey was administered to 762 professional and auxiliary employees at a large urban children's hospital.
- Data collected included smoking status (never, former, current smoker) and attitudes towards a total smoking ban.
- Multivariate analysis was used to identify predictors of support for the ban.
Main Results:
- 63.1% were never smokers, 21.1% former smokers, and 15.1% current smokers.
- 83% of nonsmokers and 43% of current smokers supported a smoke-free policy.
- Smokers were significantly less likely (eight times) to agree with a ban, independent of demographics.
Conclusions:
- The majority of hospital employees support a total smoking ban.
- Current smokers show some support but require targeted interventions to enhance policy acceptance.
- Implementing cessation support alongside a ban can improve its effectiveness in children's healthcare facilities.
Abstract:
This study surveyed 762 professional and auxiliary employees in a large urban children's hospital to assess readiness for a total ban on smoking. The prevalence of never smokers was 63.1%, former smokers was 21.1%, and current smokers was 15.1%. Among nonsmokers, 83% indicated that a children's hospital should be smoke-free. The attitudes of former smokers were almost identical to those of never smokers. Less than half of current smokers (43%) agreed with a ban on smoking which suggests some support for a smoke-free setting even among smokers. In multivariate analysis, smokers, however, were eight times less likely to agree with such a policy, independent of age, sex, and occupation. This study suggests that the majority of employees are supportive of a total ban on smoking but that special efforts to help smokers stop smoking may enhance the effectiveness of a policy banning smoking in a children's health care facility.