FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH PRACTICING TOBACCOFREE ENVIRONMENT AMONG RESTAURANT OWNERS AND WORKERS IN KUCHING, SARAWAK
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UNIVERSITI MALAYSIA SARAWAK
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Introduction: The incidence of tobacco-related diseases increasing from time to time, and this alarming phenomenon would ultimately become a significant public health burden. Hence the amendment of the tobacco product regulation by the Ministry of Health recently is firmly a vital step to implement to extend the protection from the exposure of second-hand smoke. Therefore, the study aimed to assess the current situation of practicing smoke-free restaurants and factors associated with it. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted among 308 restaurant owners, managers, and workers in Kuching city. A multistage random sampling technique was followed in this study. A self-administered structured questionnaire consisted of sociodemographic characteristics, personal smoking status, knowledge on smoking free policy, health and environmental effect of second-hand smoke, attitude and support towards the tobacco-free restaurant. However, data on practicing smoke-free restaurant were collected by observation checklist. Result: Among the respondents, 42.2% had a good knowledge of tobacco-free policy and law. About 46.8% and 58.0% of the respondents had good knowledge about the health and environmental effect of second-hand smoke, respectively. The level of attitude and support towards tobaccofree restaurant was 49.0% and 45.8%. However, about 68.2% of the restaurants were practiced tobacco-free environment. This study revealed that there was a significant association between type of restaurant, number of smokers in the family, level of knowledge about smoke-free legislation, support with the practice . of tobacco-free restaurant. The respondents who worked at the coffee shop, and they came from nonsmoker families, respondents with high knowledge about smoke-free policy and support towards ban smoking more likely to practice tobacco-free restaurants. Conclusion: Despite the low level of knowledge about smoke-free legislation, attitude and support towards tobacco-free restaurant among more than half of respondents, the level of practice of ban smoking in the restaurant consider high about 68.2%. Therefore the government needs to increase awareness and educate the public regarding knowledge of smoke free policy and second-hand smoke to gain support and compliance from the community.