185422 Workplace smoking restrictions in China

Monday, October 27, 2008: 9:24 AM

Jiemin Ma , Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD
Frances Stillman, EdD , Johns Hopkins, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD
Gonghuan Yang, Dr , Institute of Basic Medical Science, Beijing, China
Benjamin J. Apelberg, PhD , Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD
Shaojun Ma , Institute of Basic Medical Science, Beijing, China
Jonathan Samet, MD, MS , Institute for Global Tobacco Control, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD
Introduction: The implementation of worksite smoking restriction policies has shown significant effects on protecting non-smoking workers, reducing intensity of smoking, and promoting employees' smoking cessation. China has the largest populations of smokers and passive smokers in the world. However, few studies have addressed worksite smoking restrictions in China.

Objective: To assess the coverage and restrictiveness of smoking restriction policies in indoor work environments and the relationships between these policies and secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure at workplaces among non-smokers and smoking behavior among smokers in China.

Design, Setting, Outcome: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 2,698 participants in three provinces in China, using a standardized questionnaire on smoking and SHS administrated by trained investigators.

Results: Only 28.5% respondents reported that their indoor workplaces had a smoke-free policy. Non-smokers that reported no policy were 3.7 (Adjusted odds ratio [OR] = 3.7, 95% confidence interval [CI]=1.3, 10.1) times more likely to be exposed to SHS than those working in a smoke-free work site. Smokers working under smoke-free policies smoked 3.8 (Adjusted mean difference=3.8, 95% CI=-0.5, 8.0) fewer cigarettes per day than those working in non-restrictive workplaces. Those complying with a smoke-free policy were 1.3 (Adjusted OR=1.3, 95% CI = 0.4, 4.0) times more likely to express a desire to quit smoking than those reporting no policy in their workplaces.

Conclusions: Workplace smoke-free policy was related with a reduction of SHS exposure and smoking frequency and it is highly recommended as an effective tobacco control strategy in China, along with other support programs.

Learning Objectives:
1. Assess the coverage and restrictiveness of smoking restriction policies in indoor work environments in China 2. Evaluate the relationship between these policies and secondhand smoke exposure (SHS) at workplaces among non-smokers 3. Evaluate the relationship between these policies and smoking behavior change among smokers in China.

Keywords: Tobacco Legislation, Tobacco Policy

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have ever made oral presentations on two APHA annual meetings
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.