title: Second-hand tobacco smoke in prison: tackling a public health matter through research.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This action-research study conducted in a Swiss male post-trial detention centre (120 detainees and 120 staff) explored the attitudes of detainees and staff towards tobacco smoking. Tackling public health matters through research involving stakeholders in prisons implies benefits and risks that need exploration.
  
  
  METHODS
  The observational study involved multiple strands (quantitative and qualitative components, and air quality measurements). This article presents qualitative data on participants' attitudes and expectations about research in a prison setting.
  
  
  METHODS
  Semi-structured interviews were used to explore the attitudes of detainees and staff towards smoking before and after a smoke-free regulation change in the prison in 2009. Specific coding and thematic content analysis for research were performed with the support of ATLAS.ti.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In total, 77 interviews were conducted (38 before the regulation change and 39 after the regulation change) with 31 detainees (mean age 35 years, range 22-60 years) and 27 prison staff (mean age 46 years, range 29-65 years). Both detainees and staff expressed satisfaction regarding their involvement in the study, and wished to be informed about the results. They expected concrete changes in smoke-free regulation, and that the research would help to find ways to motivate detainees to quit smoking.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Active involvement of stakeholders promotes public health. Interviewing detainees and prison staff as part of an action-research study aimed at tackling a public health matter is a way of raising awareness and facilitating change in prisons. Research needs to be conducted independently from the prison administrators in order to increase trust and to avoid misunderstandings.
authors: University of Geneva, Faculty of Medicine, University Centre of Legal Medicine of Geneva and Lausanne, Av. de Champel, 1211 Geneva 4, Switzerland. Catherine.Ritter@unige.ch
authors: C
authors: C
authors: Ritter
authors: B S
authors: BS
authors: Elger
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001294:Attitude to Health; D005260:Female; D006302:Health Services Research; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011329:Prisoners / Q000523:psychology*; D011330:Prisons / Q000458:organization & administration*; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012907:Smoking / Q000523:psychology*; D013557:Switzerland; D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution / Q000517:prevention & control*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution