Factors Associated with Practicing Tobacco Free Environment among Restaurant Owners and Workers in Kuching, Sarawak

Nur Za'Imah, Zainal (2020) Factors Associated with Practicing Tobacco Free Environment among Restaurant Owners and Workers in Kuching, Sarawak. Masters thesis, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS).

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Abstract

Introduction: The incidence of tobacco-related diseases increasing from time to time, and this alarming phenomenon would ultimately become a significant public health burden. Hence the amendment of the tobacco product regulation by the Ministry of Health recently is firmly a vital step to implement to extend the protection from the exposure of second-hand smoke. Therefore, the study aimed to assess the current situation of practicing smoke-free restaurants and factors associated with it. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted among 308 restaurant owners, managers, and workers in Kuching city. A multistage random sampling technique was followed in this study. A self-administered structured questionnaire consisted of sociodemographic characteristics, personal smoking status, knowledge on smoking free policy, health and environmental effect of second-hand smoke, attitude and support towards the tobacco-free restaurant. However, data on practicing smoke-free restaurant were collected by observation checklist. Result: Among the respondents, 42.2% had a good knowledge of tobacco-free policy and law. About 46.8% and 58.0% of the respondents had good knowledge about the health and environmental effect of second-hand smoke, respectively. The level of attitude and support towards tobaccofree restaurant was 49.0% and 45.8%. However, about 68.2% of the restaurants were practiced tobacco-free environment. This study revealed that there was a significant association between type of restaurant, number of smokers in the family, level of knowledge about smoke-free legislation, support with the practice . of tobacco-free restaurant. The respondents who worked at the coffee shop, and they came from nonsmoker families, respondents with high knowledge about smoke-free policy and support towards ban smoking more likely to practice tobacco-free restaurants. Conclusion: Despite the low level of knowledge about smoke-free legislation, attitude and support towards tobacco-free restaurant among more than half of respondents, the level of practice of ban smoking in the restaurant consider high about 68.2%. Therefore the government needs to increase awareness and educate the public regarding knowledge of smoke free policy and second-hand smoke to gain support and compliance from the community.

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