Tobacco-use Survey among Hospital Staff and Their Perceptions of Smoking Cessation Products and Services

Research Proposal Presentation

Cik Wan Azuati En. Hj Mohd Asri Ms Ng Chew Beng Nurfatin Nadia Lim Jin

Background Information / Introduction

Rationale
Many hospital staffs are active smokers, which brings negative impact to the image of healthcare professionals as healthy lifestyle role models. However, prevalence of active smoker among staffs in Taiping Hospital is unknown. Hence this study is conducted to determine the prevalence of active smokers among male healthcare staffs in Taiping Hospital. To determine the barriers in smoking cessation which in turn can be used to help focusing efforts in helping those nicotine addicts to quit smoking.

Objectives
General:
To evaluate the prevalence of tobacco smokers among hospital staffs in Taiping Hospital and their perceptions of smoking cessation products and services.

Objectives
Specific:
To determine the prevalence of smoking among male staffs in Taiping Hospital. To determine factors that affect smoking staffs knowledge, attitude, and practice. To identify smokers barriers towards smoking cessations. To obtain feedbacks on quit smoking products and service in Taiping Hospital.

Methodology
Study design:
Type of study design: This is a cross-sectional survey using a selfadministered questionnaire, distributed by drop-off survey method. Study duration: 1 year (Between August 2013 until August 2014).
Data collection period : 1 month ( Survey will be conducted in December 2013 after getting the MREC approval) Setting : All departments at Taiping Hospital

Methodology
Sampling:
Study population: All male staffs working in Taiping Hospital Estimation of sample size: The population size will be around 595 male staffs. Based on the 95% confidence interval and margin of error of 5%, using a sample size calculator by Raosoft Sample Size Calculator, which applied the Cochran (1977) formulae, a minimum of 234 participants is needed. As a survey with an average estimation of 50% participation rate, the estimated sample size needed will be around 351. For the purpose on this study, all male staffs in the inclusion criteria will be surveyed.

Methodology
Sampling:
Sampling technique : Universal sampling Selection of respondents :
Inclusion criteria:
All male staffs in Taiping Hospital Male staffs consented to participate in this study.

Exclusion criteria:
Male staff in absent or cannot be reached during the survey period

Data Collection
Data collection tool:
A structured questionnaire will be adapted from the validated questionnaire used in the Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS) Malaysia (2011). Modification was made to suit the local population with an addition of questions on perception towards nicotine cessation products and services. Questions that are not relevant to the study objectives are omitted. The questionnaire is prepared in both Malay and English language.

Data Collection
Method of data collection :
A survey using a self-administered questionnaire: data will be collected using a pre-validated and reliable questionnaire. The questionnaire and the consent form, together with a cover letter explaining the purpose of the study and a self-addressed envelope (for returning the completed questionnaire) will be distributed to the male staffs in December 2013. Respondents, who consented to participate, will be asked to complete the questionnaires. The completed questionnaire will be collected back by the investigators within one week. The first follow-up through the head of unit will be done after a week. Participants will be assured that the questionnaire will be anonymous and all data will be kept confidential.

Data Analysis
Data will be analysed using IBM SPSS Statistics 18 and Microsoft Excel (Version 2007). Respondents characteristics will be summarized using means with 95% CI, standard deviations, and percentages as appropriate. Parametric Test will be used to test the continuous data and its association with the independent variables. Non-parametric testing will be used if a KolmogorovSmirnov Test (KS test) of the data is non-significant (if continuous data is found to be not normally distributed).

Data Analysis
Categorical variables will be analyzed by cross tabulation methods and presented as percentages with 95% CI using the Chi-squared ( 2) Test or the Fishers Exact Test. These methods were used to compare distributions of categorical variables. A P-value of < 0.05 was considered to be statistically significant.

Age will be categorized into quartiles for analysis purposes.

Study Timeline: Gantt Chart

Reference List

Institute for Public Health (IPH). Report of the Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS) Malaysia, 2011, Ministry of Health Malaysia, 2012. Yaccob I, Abdullah ZA. Smoking Habits and Attitudes among Doctors in a Malaysian Hospital. Southeast Asian J Trop Med Public Health. 1993 Mar; 24(1):28-31. Sallehuddin AB. Smoking Among Medical Workers In The Institute of Respiratory Medicine (IPR) Hospital Kuala Lumpur (Shamsir Study), 2002. Malaysian Journal of Public Health Medicine. 2004;4(1):15-18. Tee GH, Noran NH, Farizah H, Azhana NH. Changing Habit and Attitudes Towards Smoking Among Future Physicians. Med J Malaysia. 2007; 62(5): 383-387. Ghani WMN et.al. Factors Affecting Commencement and Cessation of Smoking Behaviour in Malaysia Adults. BMC Public Health. 2012; 12:207. Abrizah A. Smoking Identifying Status and Addressing Cessation Needs Among Oral Healthcare Personnel in Negeri Sembilan. Med J Malaysia, 2010 June; 65(Supplement A):82. Phengsavanh A et al. Smoking Behaviour and Tobacco Control among Medical Doctors in Lao PDR. Southeast Asia Tobacco Control Alliance; July 2008; 94.