Extent of smoking at a Danish hospital with a smoke-free policy

TY - JOUR

T1 - Extent of smoking at a Danish hospital with a smoke-free policy

AU - Mortensen, Anne-Sofie

AU - Kolstad, Henrik A.

AU - Hansen, Karoline Kærgaard

PY - 2024/2

Y1 - 2024/2

N2 - Aim: One-fifth of the Danish population smoke and exposure to second-hand smoke has well-documented adverse health effects. The smoking policy at hospital level prohibits hospital staff from smoking on the hospital grounds while patients and visitors may smoke in outdoor smoking cabins. This study aimed to quantify smoking at a Danish hospital and document any policy breaches. Methods: In April 2020, we collected cigarette butts and observed smokers at the outdoor grounds to document smoking behaviour. Results: In total, 7152 cigarette butts were collected during one week and 368 people were observed smoking at the outdoor grounds during four observation days. Of all collected cigarette butts, 55% were collected outside the smoking cabins and 62% of all smokers were observed smoking outside the smoking cabins. In addition, 31 staff were observed smoking. Conclusions: This study documents that smoking is prevalent at a smoke-free hospital and that the smoking policy is frequently violated. The frequency of smoking outside the cabins may at least partly be influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic. Smoking at a hospital can expose patients, visitors and staff to second-hand smoke with subsequent adverse health effects. Hospitals could play an exemplary role towards a smoke-free society (and not the exception), but the opportunity is not always seized.

AB - Aim: One-fifth of the Danish population smoke and exposure to second-hand smoke has well-documented adverse health effects. The smoking policy at hospital level prohibits hospital staff from smoking on the hospital grounds while patients and visitors may smoke in outdoor smoking cabins. This study aimed to quantify smoking at a Danish hospital and document any policy breaches. Methods: In April 2020, we collected cigarette butts and observed smokers at the outdoor grounds to document smoking behaviour. Results: In total, 7152 cigarette butts were collected during one week and 368 people were observed smoking at the outdoor grounds during four observation days. Of all collected cigarette butts, 55% were collected outside the smoking cabins and 62% of all smokers were observed smoking outside the smoking cabins. In addition, 31 staff were observed smoking. Conclusions: This study documents that smoking is prevalent at a smoke-free hospital and that the smoking policy is frequently violated. The frequency of smoking outside the cabins may at least partly be influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic. Smoking at a hospital can expose patients, visitors and staff to second-hand smoke with subsequent adverse health effects. Hospitals could play an exemplary role towards a smoke-free society (and not the exception), but the opportunity is not always seized.

KW - Hospitals

KW - cigarette smoking

KW - observation

KW - smoke-free policy

KW - tobacco smoke pollution

KW - Denmark/epidemiology

KW - Pandemics

KW - Humans

KW - Smoke-Free Policy

KW - Tobacco Smoke Pollution

KW - Smoking/epidemiology

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85140657282&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1177/14034948221119637

DO - 10.1177/14034948221119637

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 36271600

SN - 1403-4948

VL - 52

SP - 10

EP - 14

JO - Scandinavian Journal of Public Health

JF - Scandinavian Journal of Public Health

IS - 1

ER -