Smoking inside Canadian acute care hospitals

Abstract

Objective: To assess smoking policies at Canadian acute care hospitals. Method: A questionnaire was designed, piloted and faxed to all acute care hospitals in Canada. The questionnaire was designed to address the following: what is the current policy regarding patient smoking? Are staff and/or visitors allowed to smoke inside the hospital? Is there a separate policy for psychiatric patients? Are smoking cessation products available at the hospital pharmacy? Is the policy governed by regional or municipal legislation? Results: A total of 852 hospitals were included in the study. Of these, 476 responded to the questionnaire, for an overall response rate of 56%. Twenty-seven per cent of respondents allowed patient smoking inside the hospital. While staff smoking was not allowed inside most hospitals (93%), 32% of hospitals in Quebec allowed staff to smoke inside the building. Thirty per cent of hospitals had a separate policy for psychiatric patients, and 27% of hospitals had provisions for visitor smoking. Sixty-seven per cent of hospitals were able to offer patients smoking cessation products while they were in hospital. Conclusions: Many Canadian hospitals continue to allow smoking inside their facilities. There is considerable variation in hospital smoking policies across the country. © 2006 Pulsus Group Inc. All rights reserved.