SMOKE FREE LEGISLATION NONCOMPLIANCE LEVEL AND ITS ASSOCIATED FACTORS AMONG HEALTH CARE STAFFS IN FIVE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HOSPITALS IN ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA, 2017

Abstract

Abstract Background: In February17, 2014, the Ethiopian government passed a new smoking legislation through house of parliament that banned smoking in public places and work places including health care facilities. However, data‟s on the level of non-compliance and factors associated with non-compliance towards smoke free legislation in hospital settings of the country has not been investigated yet. Objective: To estimate level of noncompliance and factors associated with noncompliance towards smoke free legislation among health care staffs in five federal government hospitals in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 2017. Methods: hospital based cross-sectional study design triangulated with observational study was conducted in five federal government hospitals. Data was collected through direct observation and interviews using checklist, structured and pre-tested questionnaires and nine data collectors and one supervisor were involved in data collection process. Three hundred and fifty health care staffs were interviewed. Fifteen largest buildings were also observed for noncompliance in the selected hospitals. Data was entered by Epi Info and analyzed using SPSS version 21 software. Logistic regression was used to compute the crude and adjusted odds ratios for the factors affecting to non-compliance with the legislation. A p-value of < 0.05 at 95% CI was considered to be statistically significant. Result: Non-compliance level among heath care staffs was 50(10.3%).Associated factors affecting to the non-compliance level of the staff were: being male (AOR=5.89, p value=0.001), having poor knowledge (AOR=2.71, p-value=0.022) and having Unfavourable attitudes (AOR=6.15, p-value=0.000). Conclusion: non-compliance level was high and needs careful enforcement for 100% smoke free legislation in addressing knowledge and attitudes of health care staffs. Key words: Smoke free, Hospital staff non-compliance, Legislation, Ethiopia