ORIGINAL PAPER
Smoke-free homes in Poland during the COVID-19 pandemic – a nationwide cross-sectional survey
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1
Centre of Postgraduate Medical Education, Warsaw, Poland
(School of Public Health)
2
The Stanisław Konopka Main Medical Library, Warsaw, Poland
3
Central Clinical Hospital of the Ministry of the Interior and Administration in Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
4
University of Humanities and Economics in Łódź, Warsaw, Poland
(UHE Satellite Campus in Warsaw)
5
Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
(Department of Public Health)
Online publication date: 2022-12-27
Corresponding author
Aurelia Ostrowska
Centre of Postgraduate Medical Education, School of Public Health, Kleczewska 61/63, 01-826 Warsaw, Poland
Int J Occup Med Environ Health. 2023;36(1):84-95
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ABSTRACT
Objectives: Secondhand smoke exposure causes serious health problems. Banning smoking in public venues decreases exposure to secondhand
smoke. However, the implementation of smoke-free rules in a private setting (including homes) is largely voluntary. This study aimed to assess
the prevalence and characteristics of voluntary smoke-free home rules in Poland during the COVID-19 pandemic as well as to identify factors
associated with the voluntary implementation of smoking bans at home. Material and Methods: This cross-sectional survey was conducted
in March 2022 with a nationally representative sample of 1090 individuals aged ≥18 years in Poland. Data were collected using a computerassisted
web interviewing (CAWI) technique. The research tool was an original questionnaire developed for the purpose of this study. Results: Nationally, 60.6% of individuals had total ban on smoking in home (100% smoke-free home rules), 34.0% had implemented a partial smokefree
home rule and 5.4% had not implemented any smoke-free home rules. Over three-quarters of non-smokers (76.8%) and only one-fifth of
smokers (20.7%) had adopted a full smoke-free home rule. In multivariate logistic regression analysis, males (OR = 1.65, 95% CI: 1.22–2.22,
p < 0.01), non-smokers (OR = 13.78, 95% CI: 9.80–19.38, p < 0.001), respondents who had higher education (OR = 1.57, 95% CI: 1.15–2.14,
p < 0.01) as well as those who lived alone (OR = 2.44, 95% CI: 1.52–3.90, p < 0.001) had higher odds of having a 100% smoke-free home rule. Conclusions: This study demonstrated the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the implementation of smoke-free home rules in
Poland. Less than two-thirds of the Polish population has adopted a total smoke-free home rule, with significant gaps between smokers and
nonsmokers. Information on current voluntary smoke-free rules will be useful for further implementation of the smoke-free law in Poland. Int J Occup Med Environ Health. 2023;36(1):84–95