title: The opinion of catering sector about the smoking ban and the evaluation of establishments.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We aimed to evaluate the knowledge and perspective of employees/employers in the catering sector in our city regarding the smoking ban, as well as to determine the changes in the number of customers and income after the bans implementation.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this two phased cross-sectional study 337 and 310 adults were evaluated respectively. Before the smoking ban was implemented we visited 84 workplaces in city center, after 18 months later 97 workplaces were visited in the same region. In both phases, the participants' opinions about the necessity/applicability of the ban were evaluated. In the second phase, they were also asked whether they had any changes in their income.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In both phases, participants' general characteristics were similar. When all participants were evaluated, we determined that their knowledge and belief in the necessity/applicability of the ban did not change over time. It was determined that non-smokers more strongly believed in the necessity/applicability of the ban. Thirty-eight participants were included in both phases; 44.7% of them reported a decrease in the number of customers, and 60% of employers reported an increase in their income.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The smokers were less convinced about the applicability/necessity of this ban than non-smokers. According to our results it could be said that smoking can also adversely affect implementation of the related ban. Employers should be informed that the ban will not affect their income.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chest Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, Gaziosmanpasa University, Tokat, Turkey. sibeldoruk@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Sibel
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Doruk
authors.forename: Deniz
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Çelik
authors.forename: Handan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: İnönü Köseoğlu
authors.forename: Ilker
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Etikan
authors.forename: İlhan
authors.initials: İ
authors.lastname: Çetin
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003625:Data Collection; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011639:Public Opinion; D011640:Public Policy; D012907:Smoking; D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution / Q000517:prevention & control*; D014421:Turkey; D017132:Workplace; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution