title: Smoke-free restaurants in Shanghai: should it be mandatory and is it acceptable?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aims to describe secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure in restaurants in Shanghai and to explore the impact on the health of restaurant workers. Attitude to smoke-free restaurants among restaurant workers and customers was also determined in this study.
  
  
  METHODS
  A random sample of 242 workers, 284 customers, and 46 restaurant owners participated in face-to-face questionnaire interviews.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 219 (90.7%) restaurant workers surveyed were found to be exposed to SHS during working hours with 24.2+/-18.6h of exposure on average per week. Exposure time each week was significantly associated with the symptoms of dyspnea and irritated eyes. Among the customers surveyed 73.9% supported the concept of a 100% smoke-free law in restaurants and 49.6% expressed that they would be more likely to eat in restaurants if smoking was banned in restaurants. And 58.6% of the restaurant owners surveyed regarded smoke-free laws banning smoking in restaurant as feasible and 56.5% estimated such bans would decrease the profit.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Both restaurant workers and customers are substantially exposed to SHS. Although some restaurant owners are concerned about a decrease in profits, the fear of losing business is not supported by the response among customers. Therefore, introducing a law-banning smoking in restaurants appears to be feasible and acceptable in Shanghai.
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, Fudan University, 138 Yi Xue Yuan Road, Shanghai 200032, China.
authors.forename: Pinpin
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: Hua
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Fu
authors.forename: Guangyao
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D002681:China; D005260:Female; D033161:Government Regulation; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D037141:Mandatory Programs; D012147:Restaurants; D012907:Smoking / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult