The 13th World Conference on Tobacco OR Health

Objective: 1) To explore problems after making a smoke-free hospital premise, through hospital employees survey. 2) To make problem-oriented proposals.

Methods: From 2005, Kobe General Hospital (KGH) became smoke-free hospital, including its ground. The smoke-free promotion board of KGH planned two projects. The first was survey of hospital employees 2 months after the implementation. The second was patrol and cleaning of the hospital premise and its surroundings.

Results: 1) Survey of employees was compared to that of 2000, which was performed 6 months after the implementation of smoke-free hospital building. Response rate of the questionnaire deteriorated from 80.6 to 63.7%. While both approval rate (56.3 to 50.0%) and opposition rate (29.5 to 7.1%) decreased, suspension response (14.2 to 42.9%) increased markedly. Free opinions were classified as follows. Firstly, poor command of whereabouts of smoking patients and subsequent poor patients safety management (62), as well as negative reaction against smoking employees, especially doctors who smoke around the premise (62). Thirdly, request of smoking corner in the premise (58). Fourthly, smoking rights and smokers' stress (57). Fifthly, increased discarded butts around the premise (44). 2) During the first 3 months, discarded 11,000 butts and 181 cigarette packages were collected inside and around the premise, and 365 inside premise smokers were cautioned.Tobacco-free hospital policy is necessary for further progress of smoke-free hospital.