Promoting Tobacco Control and Smoking Cessation in Workplaces [Phase I]

Assessing the Corporate Environment in Promoting Tobacco Control and Evaluation of a Smoking Cessation Programme in Workplaces in Hong Kong

Previous research shows a significant proportion of smokers work in full-time employment. Given that the majority of smokers do not aware of the smoking cessation services available in Hong Kong, implementing smoking cessation policy in the workplaces may assist a considerable number of smokers to stop or reduce smoking.

This study aims to:

1. examine the employers' knowledge, attitudes and practices in promoting smoking cessation in workplace.
2. test the effectiveness of a brief and an intensive smoking cessation interventions to help workers stop smoking

In Phase I of this study, a large scale cross-sectional survey will be conducted to 3000 corporate companies in Hong Kong. The questionnaire will examine the employers' knowledge, attitudes and practices in promoting smoking cessation in the workplaces.

In Phase II, a longitudinal study will be conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of a smoking cessation intervention offered by the Department of Psychology, the University of Hong Kong. Smokers from the participating companies will be interviewed before the intervention at baseline, immediately after the intervention, and at 1-, 4-, 12-, 26- and 52-week post-intervention follow-ups.

The follow-up assessments will consist of a biochemical validation for the self-reported quitters who report quitting in the past 7 days via exhaled carbon monoxide and saliva cotinine concentration tests. Participants' smoking behaviour, knowledge on smoking and satisfaction of the smoking cessation services will also be evaluated.

It is hypothesized that the smoking cessation intervention helps workers stop smoking. Employers' knowledge and attitudes are positively associated with the practices in promoting smoking cessation in workplace.

Process evaluation: Qualitative interviews, including in-depth interviews and/or focus group will be conducted after 6-month follow-up.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Hong Kong residents aged 18 or above
• Cantonese speaker and able to read in Chinese characters
• Smoke at least one cigarette per day
• Stay at Hong Kong during the intervention and follow-up periods (12 months)

Exclusion Criteria:

• Smokers who are psychologically or physically unable to communicate
• Smokers who are currently following other smoking cessation programme(s)
• Smokers with diagnosed psychiatric illnesses