Measuring visual exposure to smoking behaviours: a viewshed analysis of smoking at outdoor bars and cafés across a capital city’s downtown area

Abstract

BackgroundThe influence of visual exposure to health-related behaviours, such as smoking, is increasingly acknowledged in the public health literature. Social contagion or normalisation is thought to operate through the visibility of those behaviours. There has been a lack of systematic and comprehensive approaches to quantifying visual exposure to these behaviours over a relatively large geographic area. We describe the novel application of a geographic tool, viewshed analysis, to estimate visual exposure to smoking outside bars/cafés across a downtown area.MethodsSmoking was observed for different times and days of the week at 14 outdoor areas of bars/cafés throughout downtown Wellington, New Zealand. We used these data to extrapolate to other bars/cafés with outdoor seating. We then conducted viewshed analyses to estimate visual exposure to smoking at bars/cafés for all public outdoor spaces.ResultsWe observed a smoking point prevalence of 16%. Visibility analyses indicated that estimated visible smoking was highest in the evenings (7-8 pm), where the average values across Wednesday and Friday ranged from zero up to 92 visible smokers (mean = 1.44). Estimated visible smoking at midday ranged from zero to 13 (mean = 0.27). Values were also higher at the end of the week compared with midweek in the evening. Maps indicate that streets with high levels of retail shops and hospitality areas had high values of estimated visible smokers, particularly in the evening where numbers were consistently above 50.ConclusionsThis paper highlights a useful method for measuring the extent of visual exposure to smoking behaviours across relatively large areas using a geospatial approach. Applying this method in other locations would require consideration of place-specific characteristics which impact on visibility and could be improved through more sophisticated extrapolation of observational data across the study area. The findings of this and similar research could ultimately support the expansion of smokefree public spaces.

Tobacco pack display at hospitality venues after the introduction of standardised tobacco packaging in New Zealand: a field observation study

“…The expansion of these smokefree areas and the associated denormalisation of smoking are likely to help increase quitting and reduce relapses to smoking 24 25. The relatively high proportion of patrons smoking outside hospitality areas can give a misleading impression of the normality of smoking 26…”

Mapping the visibility of smokers across a large capital city

“…[6] Since the implementation of indoor smoking bans over the past 10-15 years, there has been a focus on examining specific outdoor public spaces where smokers may have relocated, including: outdoor areas of hospitality venues (i.e. bars, restaurants, and cafeterias); [9][10][11] entrances to healthcare centres; [12] surrounding areas of schools and university campuses; [13,14] parks and beaches; [15] playgrounds; [16] public transportation stops; [17] or entrances to other public buildings (e.g. shopping centres, government buildings, etc.).…”

“…a city as a whole). [10] This approach would help to understand how the population is dynamically exposed to smoking visibility and related second-hand smoke in their daily activities throughout the urban space. These data will provide new insights into how to improve and develop new smoke-free policies in outdoor public areas.…”

Carbon Monoxide and Carbon Dioxide Level Distribution of Rojhelat Cafe in Duhok City

“…Due to the rapid increases in Shisha use in Café in Iraq Kurdistan-Region, more data are needed about the distribution of CO and CO2 inside the Café. There are many studies of cigarette and Shisha smoking in different geographical place outside (Chan, et al, 2014;Pearson & Thomson, 2014) (Akhter, Warraich, Rizvi, Idrees, & Zaina, 2014). Another study shows that CO level are higher for patrons of Shisha smoking in Café for both current and non-cigarette smokers (Sajid, Akhter, & Malik, 1993).…”