Respondents’ rating of the influence of various factors on the hospital’s decision to go smoke-free
| Factor | Did not influence at all n (%) | Slight influence n (%) | Moderate influence n (%) | Very important influence n (%) | Mean influence4-150 n (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| External influences | |||||
| JCAHO requirement | 137 (13.9) | 79 (8.0) | 166 (16.8) | 605 (61.3) | 3.4 |
| Public image | 85 (8.6) | 154 (15.5) | 325 (32.8) | 427 (43.1) | 3.1 |
| EPA report on secondhand smoke4-151 | 276 (28.7) | 216 (22.5) | 287 (29.8) | 183 (19.0) | 2.4 |
| State law/regulation | 404 (42.4) | 141 (14.8) | 152 (15.9) | 256 (26.9) | 2.3 |
| Patient pressure | 367 (38.5) | 325 (34.1) | 193 (20.3) | 68 (7.1) | 2.0 |
| Other professional organisation guidelines | 444 (57.6) | 119 (15.4) | 117 (15.2) | 91 (11.8) | 1.8 |
| Local or municipal law/regulation | 585 (62.3) | 106 (11.3) | 132 (14.1) | 116 (12.4) | 1.8 |
| Internal influences | |||||
| Concern for the health of employees | 27 (2.7) | 89 (9.0) | 282 (28.4) | 594 (59.9) | 3.4 |
| Fire safety | 127 (13.0) | 245 (25.1) | 297 (30.5) | 306 (31.4) | 2.8 |
| Employee pressure | 271 (27.9) | 335 (34.5) | 283 (29.2) | 81 (8.4) | 2.2 |
| Cost savings | 391 (41.0) | 262 (27.5) | 201 (21.1) | 99 (10.4) | 2.0 |
↵4-150 Activities are ranked from highest to lowest mean influence within each category, with “Did not influence at all” = 1 and “Very important influence” = 4.
JCAHO = Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations.
↵4-151 US Environmental Protection Agency. Respiratory health effects of passive smoking: lung cancer and other disorders. Washington, DC: EPA, 1992. (EPA/600/6-90/006F.)