Reduction in staff smoking rates in North Coast Area Health Service, NSW, following the introduction of a smoke-free workplace policy

Abstract

Aim: To evaluate changes in staff smoking rates following the implementation of Smoke Free Health Care, an innovative, changemanagement process that introduced a smoke-free workplace policy in the North Coast Area Health Service of NSW. Methods: Survey questionnaires were sent to all staff before and after the introduction of the policy. Return rates were 17.3% (690/ 3988) in 1999 and 25.4% (2012/7921) in 2007. Chi-square tests and multivariate logistic regression analysis were used to determine differences. Results: Staff smoking rates decreased significantly from 22.3% to 11.8% (po0.0001). Smoking rates in 1999 were not significantly different to the state population's (22.3% and 24.1%, p ¼ 0.3), but were significantly different in 2007 (11.8% and 20.1%, po0.0001). Over a quarter (27.6%) of staff who smoked when implementation began quit smoking; more than twice the rate before implementation (12%, po0.0001). Conclusion: These changes in staff smoking rates indicate the effectiveness of a comprehensive change-management approach to implementing smoke-free workplace policy.

Implementation of a smoke-free policy in a high secure mental health inpatient facility: staff survey to describe experience and attitudes

“…Consistent with other studies, staff who smoked were less likely to respond positively to working in a smoke-free environment [12,19,23,27,31,34,35]. Relatively small numbers of staff were concerned about working in the smoke-free hospital before they commenced their employment.…”

A scoping review of workplace health promotion interventions for chronic diseases in Australia

“…[36][37][38][39][40]48 Policy was the lone intervention in four articles. 37,38,40,48 Two articles 36,39 included both policy and individually focussed strategies and Paul 49 Two articles 35,50 that solely targeted nutritional change consisted of individual behavioral change strategies only, including food-based challenges or counseling. Pescud 51 implemented an environmental strategy that included the provision of low or no cost fruit in the workplace.…”

“…Fifty percent (n = 5) of WHP interventions that targeted smoking were directed at health service workers. [36][37][38][39][40] The most common type of occupational role targeted by nutritional interventions were workers (both clinical and non-clinical) employed in health care (n = 5). [33][34][35]41,42 Of the four articles that addressed alcohol use, one recruited blue-collar construction workers, 43 one a combination of desk-based and manual workers in manufacturing, 44 one recruited academic and administrative university workers, 45 and in one occupational role was not specified.…”

“…For the seven articles that solely targeted smoking, the implementation of policy (e.g., smoke-free workplace) was the most common intervention type and was present in six of the seven articles. [36][37][38][39][40]48 Policy was the lone intervention in four articles. 37,38,40,48 Two articles 36,39 included both policy and individually focussed strategies and Paul 49 Two articles 35,50 that solely targeted nutritional change consisted of individual behavioral change strategies only, including food-based challenges or counseling.…”

“…3.3.1 | Health knowledge and/or behavioral outcomes Eleven articles 30,31,[36][37][38][39][40]43,48,49,58 measured changes in smoking behavior including status, prevalence rate, cessation rate, and intention to quit. Dart et al 36 evaluated perceived success, or otherwise, of the intervention and one 58 measured changes in smoking knowledge.…”