Dr Bridgette Bewick Associate Professor, School of Medicine, University of Leeds
Abstract
Aim: To quantify normative perceptions of NHS patients, staff, and visitor smoking on the hospitals’ ground and to explore view points on smoking within the grounds. Method: Repeated cross sectional study design. Survey questions were asked before and after the implementation of a public health social norms campaign (n=940).
Results: The majority of the 940 participants agreed that patients (n=849, 90% agreed), staff (n=863, 92% agreed), and visitors (n=850, 90% agreed) should not smoke in the hospital entrances. Participants underestimated the proportion of others who kept the entrance smokefree. Over 95% reported not smoking in the hospital entrance but the perception was that between 50% to 75% of hospital users did not smoke in the entrance. Thematic analysis of free text responses revealed 5 distinct themes: smoking is a dirty problem, smokers are free to do as they wish, the poor smoker, smoke in our space the battleground, and no smoking please.
The presentation will explore these themes and discuss our findings in relation to current NHS policies and public health campaigns.
Source of funding: Wakefield PCT
Declaration of interest: Bridgette Bewick - as keynote speaker/expert advisor, has received reimbursement of travel expenses and/or time from Anheuser-Busch, Noctis, and the International Centre for Alcohol Policies. Bewick has been a recipient of a research grant provided by the European Research Advisory Board (ERAB).
