title: Effects of the implementation of a smoke-free policy in a medical center.
abstract: The implementation of a smoke-free policy in this medical center was associated with a decrease in the prevalence of regular cigarette smoking from 16.7 percent to 13.8 percent and a smoking cessation rate of 22.5 percent among regular smokers over the 2 1/2 years since the policy was announced. This decrease in prevalence is the result of both smoking cessation among existing employees and less frequent regular smoking among new employees. At two-year follow-up, the policy was overwhelmingly endorsed by medical center staff overall but was viewed less favorably by those who continued to smoke. Nevertheless, over the 2 1/2 years, many of these smokers have been in the action stage of cessation (37.1 percent made a serious attempt to stop smoking, 20.7 percent had used nicotine polacrilex in a smoking-cessation effort, and 13.8 percent had attended a formal cessation program). The implementation of a smoke-free policy has made a significant contribution toward providing a healthful work environment and toward encouraging nonsmoking behavior in staff and patients.
authors.affiliation: Section of Biostatistics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905.
authors.forename: K P
authors.initials: KP
authors.lastname: Offord
authors.forename: R D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Hurt
authors.forename: K G
authors.initials: KG
authors.lastname: Berge
authors.forename: D K
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Frusti
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Schmidt
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006268:Health Facilities; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016134:Organizational Policy; D012907:Smoking; D016540:Smoking Cessation