Abstract
ABSTRACTUnder its Health Promotion Strategic Framework 2018–19 the St Helena Government prioritised action to address smoking and obesity to reduce a high non-communicable disease burden. The first tobacco control measure was a policy, ‘Smoke-Free Government’ (SFG), to create smoke-free public outdoor and indoor sites across all sites and services for staff and public users, abolish ‘official’ staff ‘smoking breaks’, and establish and promote community-wide cessation support. This paper assesses the perceived acceptability and preliminary impact of SFG in St Helena 2018–19. An online survey of government staff was undertaken 6 months post-SFG implementation to obtain insight into perceived impact, implementation, and acceptability. A population-wide health survey provided smoking prevalence and quit data prior to, and 11 months post-implementation. A majority of staff believed the policy contributed to reducing smoking, was generally observed, accepted, and entailed one or more positive effects, including reduced second-hand smoke exposure, increased quit attempts, and reduced disruption from ‘smoke-breaks’. Recommendations were consistent enforcement and expanded quit support. Population data for the SFG period indicated that smoking, and particularly daily smoking declined, quit intentions increased, and quit attempts almost doubled. The SFG policy appears to have contributed positively towards stronger tobacco control in St Helena in 2018–19.
Highlights
Article Eight of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) requires Parties to adopt effective national legislation for comprehensive smoke-free environments [1] Indoor public smokefree legislation is the most implemented FCTC article [2] and is estimated to have averted 2.5 million deaths by 2013 [3]
Reduced smoking and second-hand smoke exposure (SHS), increased smoking quit rates, and reduced consumption have been reported across various settings [5–8]
To assess whether selfreported prevalence and quit rates had changed since ‘Smoke-Free Government’ was enacted, data were obtained from a population ‘Health and Lifestyles’ baseline survey undertaken prior to SFG (April 2018) and a year later, 11 months after SFG commenced
Summary
Article Eight of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) requires Parties to adopt effective national legislation for comprehensive smoke-free environments [1] Indoor public smokefree legislation is the most implemented FCTC article [2] and is estimated to have averted 2.5 million deaths by 2013 [3]. The Article further urges Parties to create smoke-free environments in outdoor spaces where tobacco smoke exposure presents a hazard. The number of jurisdictions enacting outdoor smoke-free legislation in specified public spaces is increasing, at schools, hospitals, parks and beaches. Some countries have enacted national legislation incorporating specified outdoor areas [4], provincial, state or municipal level laws are more common. Reduced smoking and second-hand smoke exposure (SHS), increased smoking quit rates, and reduced consumption have been reported across various settings [5–8]. Wider benefits include de-normalising, reduced youth initiation, and quit instigation [9–11]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary 
Published Version (
Free)
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call