Abstract
Background: Outdoor smoke-free policies (SFPs) at sports clubs represent an important new area of tobacco control, as many people, including youth, spend a large portion of their free time participating in sports. Nevertheless, the majority of sports clubs worldwide still have not adopted an outdoor SFP. The aim of this study is to explore the perceptions of key stakeholders at different Dutch sports clubs concerning the adoption of an outdoor SFP. Methods: Semi-structured interviews were held with 41 key stakeholders at seven Dutch sports clubs (in field hockey, football, tennis, or korfball) without an outdoor SFP. A thematic approach was used to analyze the data. Results: The majority of respondents reported considerations that were favorable towards adoption of an outdoor SFP, including expected support from club members, changing social norms with regard to smoking, and few members who smoke. Most of all, respondents valued the protection of children from the harmful effects of smoking. However, they also foresaw a number of problems in case of adoption, including impaired social functioning of the sports club, problems with compliance and enforcement, conflict with smokers’ interest, and low priority in club management. Conclusions: Although stakeholders at sports clubs recognize the intrinsic value of an outdoor SFP, they foresee practical problems that are inherent to sports clubs. Adoption could be enhanced by articulating the importance of protecting children from the harmful effects of smoking, referring to ‘success stories’ at sports clubs that are already smoke-free, and actively involving smokers in the adoption process.
Highlights
Negative health effects associated with exposure to secondhand smoke (SHS) have been well documented [1]
The majority of the respondents reported considerations that were favorable towards the adoption of an outdoor smoke-free policies (SFPs)
Shared-decision making might be essential to increase adoption of an outdoor SFP at sports clubs [8,21]. This is important in settings such as Dutch sports clubs, which are highly dependent on voluntary work and social cohesion. This is the first study to explore the adoption of an outdoor SFP at sports clubs
Summary
Negative health effects associated with exposure to secondhand smoke (SHS) have been well documented [1]. With scientific evidence demonstrating the hazards of outdoor SHS as well [3], an increasing number of countries have likewise enacted smoke-free policies (SFPs) for outdoor places such as playgrounds, beaches, and outdoor sports facilities [4,5]. The latter has significant reach and potential for prevention of SHS exposure since many people, including youth, spend their free time participating in sports. 12% of European citizens (15 years and over) are member of a sports clubs, with the highest proportions for memberships being observed in the Netherlands (27%) [6]. The majority of sports clubs both in and outside the Netherlands
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