Effect of smoke-free patio policy of restaurants and bars on exposure to second-hand smoke
Menée à partir des données d'une enquête canadienne réalisée entre 2005 et 2012 auprès de 89 743 participants, cette étude évalue l'intérêt d'une politique anti-tabac interdisant de fumer sur les terrasses des restaurants et des bars pour réduire l'exposition des fumeurs et non fumeurs au tabagisme passif
Objective : While there is increasing support for restricting smoking in restaurants and bars patios, there is limited evidence on the effectiveness of this policy. This study examined the effect of smoke-free patio policy of restaurants and bars on adult second-hand smoke (SHS) exposure. Methods : Data were drawn from the 2005-2012 Canadian Tobacco Use Monitoring Survey (n=89,743), a repeated cross-sectional survey of youth and adult. Regression analysis, a quasi-experimental design was used to examine the effect of provincial smoke-free patio policy on self-reported exposure to SHS. Results : Analyses suggest that exposure to SHS on patios of bars and restaurants declined following the adoption of provincial smoke-free patio policy. Relative to pre-policy SHS exposure, regression results showed a reduction in the probability of SHS exposure of up to 25% in Alberta. Similarly, in Nova Scotia, the probability of SHS exposure declined by up to 21%. Analyses stratified by smoking status found similar significant effect on both smokers and non-smokers. Conclusions : Findings suggest that provincial patio smoking ban on bars and restaurants had the intended effect of protecting non-smokers from SHS exposure. This study is consistent with a large body of evidence showing that a strong smoke-free legislation is an effective public health measure.
Preventive Medicine 2015