NSR III - BIPS

� 96% of all indoor workers report working in smoke-free environments
since the introduction of the ban
� Air quality in pubs has improved dramatically since the ban
� Levels of carbon monoxide have decreased by 45% in non-smoking
bar workers
� 96% of all indoor workers report working in smoke-free environments
since the ban was introduced
� 98% of people believe that workplaces are healthier
� 96% of people feel that the smoke-free law is a success 1 including
It is interesting to note that under this legislation domestic homes are not
counted as work places. As Ireland continues to have lower numbers, in
comparison with other EU and OECD countries, of women working outside the
home it is possible to assert that many women live in homes were they are
exposed to ETS (exhaled tobacco smoke). Given that ETC is a known
carcinogenic and is a causal factor in low birth weight babies’ 2 research
should be conducted to ascertain the risk to women in the home of ETS.
Statistics
Robust statistics on smoking cessation and pregnancy are not available in
Ireland. Regrettably there is also a data deficit on smoking and pregnancy.
However, we do know that in relation to Ireland it can be argued that there is
a very steep social gradient wherein people from the lower socio-economic
groups experience much worse health status, life expectancy and morbidity.
The smoking related data cited previously also displays a clear socio-economic
gradient with poorer people smoking more.
The following piece of research conducted in Mayo on the west coast of
Ireland by Women of the North West (Moygownagh Community Development
Project), the Irish partner in the European EIRO - SCIP Project 111, gives
evidence of the relevance of including the social determinants when engaging
in health service planning and design. There is a clear correlation between
smoking and low educational attainment with the greatest number of the
interviewed women (80) at the centre of the Irish research having spent less
than eleven years or more in formal education.
It is also necessary to note that those surveyed for purposes of this research
were public hospital patients and more likely not to have private health
insurance for economic reasons. This bears out previous research which
shows a clear link between level of income and smoking prevalence,
particularly for young women.
1 Smoke-Free Workplaces in Ireland: A One Year Review. Office for Tobacco Control. 2005. A
nationally representative sample of 1000 people aged over fifteen years was used in the
report.
2 Babies born with a weight of 2000 grammes or less.
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