TY - JOUR
T1 - Impact of smoke-free housing policy lease exemptions on compliance, enforcement and smoking behavior
T2 - A qualitative study
AU - Kaufman, Pamela
AU - Kang, Julie
AU - Kennedy, Ryan David
AU - Beck, Pippa
AU - Ferrence, Roberta
N1 - Funding Information:
This work was supported by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (grant number 120260); the Ontario Tobacco Research Unit (OTRU) which receives funding from the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care; and The Propel Centre for Population Health Impact, which is supported by the Canadian Cancer Society Research Initiative (grant number 701019).
Publisher Copyright:
© 2018 The Authors
PY - 2018/6
Y1 - 2018/6
N2 - This paper investigates the impacts of smoke-free housing policies on compliance, enforcement and smoking behavior. From 2012 to 2014, we studied two affordable housing providers in Canada with comprehensive smoke-free policies: Waterloo Regional Housing that required new leases to be non-smoking and exempted existing leases, and Yukon Housing Corporation that required all leases (existing and new) to be non-smoking. Focus groups and key informant interviews were conducted with 31 housing and public health staff involved in policy development and implementation, and qualitative interviews with 56 tenants. Both types of smoke-free policies helped tenants to reduce and quit smoking. However, exempting existing tenants from the policy created challenges for monitoring compliance and enforcing the policy, and resulted in ongoing tobacco smoke exposure. Moreover, some new tenants were smoking in exempted units, which undermined the policy and maintained smoking behavior. Our findings support the implementation of complete smoke-free housing policies that do not exempt existing leases to avoid many of the problems experienced by staff and tenants. In jurisdictions where exempting existing leases is still required by law, adequate staff resources for monitoring and enforcement, along with consistent and clear communication (particularly regarding balconies, patios and outdoor spaces) will encourage compliance.
AB - This paper investigates the impacts of smoke-free housing policies on compliance, enforcement and smoking behavior. From 2012 to 2014, we studied two affordable housing providers in Canada with comprehensive smoke-free policies: Waterloo Regional Housing that required new leases to be non-smoking and exempted existing leases, and Yukon Housing Corporation that required all leases (existing and new) to be non-smoking. Focus groups and key informant interviews were conducted with 31 housing and public health staff involved in policy development and implementation, and qualitative interviews with 56 tenants. Both types of smoke-free policies helped tenants to reduce and quit smoking. However, exempting existing tenants from the policy created challenges for monitoring compliance and enforcing the policy, and resulted in ongoing tobacco smoke exposure. Moreover, some new tenants were smoking in exempted units, which undermined the policy and maintained smoking behavior. Our findings support the implementation of complete smoke-free housing policies that do not exempt existing leases to avoid many of the problems experienced by staff and tenants. In jurisdictions where exempting existing leases is still required by law, adequate staff resources for monitoring and enforcement, along with consistent and clear communication (particularly regarding balconies, patios and outdoor spaces) will encourage compliance.
KW - Housing
KW - Qualitative research
KW - Smoke-free policy
KW - Smoking cessation
KW - Tobacco smoke pollution
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U2 - 10.1016/j.pmedr.2018.01.011
DO - 10.1016/j.pmedr.2018.01.011
M3 - Article
C2 - 29552455
AN - SCOPUS:85041541038
SN - 2211-3355
VL - 10
SP - 29
EP - 36
JO - Preventive Medicine Reports
JF - Preventive Medicine Reports
ER -