title: Post-ban self-reports on economic impact of smoke-free bars and restaurants are biased by pre-ban attitudes. A longitudinal study among employees.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Objective sales data have indicated that the Norwegian indoor smoke-free regime implemented in June 2004 did not affect the hospitality business negatively. This paper investigates whether self-reports on the economic impact of the smoking ban from employees in the hospitality sector gave similar results, and whether post-ban self-reports on the economic impact of the ban were influenced by pre-ban attitudes towards smoke-free policies.
  
  
  METHODS
  A random sample of 516 employees in bars and restaurants stated their attitudes towards smoke-free policies shortly before the ban became effective. One year later, the same respondents gave their perceptions of changes in patronage for their workplace. Data were collected using self-administered questionnaires and telephone interviews.
  
  
  RESULTS
  56.4% of the hospitality workers stated that the ban on smoking had led to a large reduction (28.2%) or some reduction (28.2%) in the number of patrons, a result inconsistent with analysis of sales data. After adjusting for demographic and smoking-related variables, a negative pre-ban attitude significantly increased the odds for reporting a negative economic impact post ban (odds ratio 2.48, confidence interval 1.48-4.14).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Subjective reports of the economic impact from an indoor ban on smoking are influenced by attitudes towards smoke-free policies and should not be considered as a valid measure of the economic effect.
authors: Norwegian Institute for Alcohol and Drug Research, Oslo, Norway. il@sirus.no
authors: Ingeborg
authors: I
authors: Lund
authors: Karl Erik
authors: KE
authors: Lund
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001290:Attitude; D003132:Commerce / Q000191:economics; D004522:Educational Status; D006801:Humans; D007588:Job Satisfaction; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008875:Middle Aged; D009664:Norway; D012147:Restaurants / Q000191:economics*; D057566:Self Report; D012907:Smoking / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D000074606:Smoking Prevention; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000517:prevention & control; D000078329:Workforce; D017132:Workplace / Q000191:economics / Q000523:psychology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution