Residential secondhand smoke in a densely populated urban setting: a qualitative exploration of psychosocial impacts, views and experiences
Abstract Background People remain exposed to secondhand smoke, a serious health hazard, inside their home as households face challenges in setting no-smoking rules or are exposed to secondhand smoke drifting in from neighbouring homes. This study explores the psychosocial impacts, views, and experie...
| Main Authors: | , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
BMC
2022-06-01
|
| Series: | BMC Public Health |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-022-13561-7 |
| _version_ | 1818469555152879616 |
|---|---|
| author | Grace Ping Ping Tan Odelia Teo Yvette van der Eijk |
| author_facet | Grace Ping Ping Tan Odelia Teo Yvette van der Eijk |
| author_sort | Grace Ping Ping Tan |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background People remain exposed to secondhand smoke, a serious health hazard, inside their home as households face challenges in setting no-smoking rules or are exposed to secondhand smoke drifting in from neighbouring homes. This study explores the psychosocial impacts, views, and experiences with residential secondhand smoke in a densely populated urban setting. Methods In-depth online or face to face interviews with 18 key informants who had been involved in public discourse, policy, advocacy or handling complaints related to residential secondhand smoke, 14 smokers, and 16 non-smokers exposed to secondhand smoke inside their home. All participants were residents of Singapore, a densely populated, multi-ethnic city-state. Interview transcripts were coded in NVivo using a deductive and inductive coding process. Findings Secondhand smoke has wide-reaching impacts on physical and psychosocial wellbeing, even if smokers tried to minimise secondhand smoke. Feelings of anxiety and stress are generally tied to feeling discomfort in one’s personal space, a perceived lack of control over the situation, resentment towards smokers, and concerns over the health effects. Family, community, and cultural dynamics add complexities to tackling the issue, especially in patriarchal households. Secondhand smoke exposure from neighbours is considered a widespread issue, exacerbated by structural factors such as building layout and the COVID-19 pandemic. Resolving the issue amicably is considered challenging due to the absence of regulations and a reluctance to stir up conflict with neighbours. While smokers took measures to reduce secondhand smoke, these were described as ineffective by other participants. Smokers appeared to have contrasting views from other participants on what it means to smoke in a socially responsible manner. Conclusion Given the wide-reaching psychosocial impacts of residential secondhand smoke, there is a case for stronger interventions, especially in densely populated urban settings where it is more difficult to avoid. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-13T21:26:00Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-765ee463cb8e4ed7973ec4ca29c68dd3 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1471-2458 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-13T21:26:00Z |
| publishDate | 2022-06-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Public Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-765ee463cb8e4ed7973ec4ca29c68dd32022-12-22T02:29:20ZengBMCBMC Public Health1471-24582022-06-0122111110.1186/s12889-022-13561-7Residential secondhand smoke in a densely populated urban setting: a qualitative exploration of psychosocial impacts, views and experiencesGrace Ping Ping Tan0Odelia Teo1Yvette van der Eijk2Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of SingaporeSaw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of SingaporeSaw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of SingaporeAbstract Background People remain exposed to secondhand smoke, a serious health hazard, inside their home as households face challenges in setting no-smoking rules or are exposed to secondhand smoke drifting in from neighbouring homes. This study explores the psychosocial impacts, views, and experiences with residential secondhand smoke in a densely populated urban setting. Methods In-depth online or face to face interviews with 18 key informants who had been involved in public discourse, policy, advocacy or handling complaints related to residential secondhand smoke, 14 smokers, and 16 non-smokers exposed to secondhand smoke inside their home. All participants were residents of Singapore, a densely populated, multi-ethnic city-state. Interview transcripts were coded in NVivo using a deductive and inductive coding process. Findings Secondhand smoke has wide-reaching impacts on physical and psychosocial wellbeing, even if smokers tried to minimise secondhand smoke. Feelings of anxiety and stress are generally tied to feeling discomfort in one’s personal space, a perceived lack of control over the situation, resentment towards smokers, and concerns over the health effects. Family, community, and cultural dynamics add complexities to tackling the issue, especially in patriarchal households. Secondhand smoke exposure from neighbours is considered a widespread issue, exacerbated by structural factors such as building layout and the COVID-19 pandemic. Resolving the issue amicably is considered challenging due to the absence of regulations and a reluctance to stir up conflict with neighbours. While smokers took measures to reduce secondhand smoke, these were described as ineffective by other participants. Smokers appeared to have contrasting views from other participants on what it means to smoke in a socially responsible manner. Conclusion Given the wide-reaching psychosocial impacts of residential secondhand smoke, there is a case for stronger interventions, especially in densely populated urban settings where it is more difficult to avoid.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-022-13561-7Air pollutionEnvironmentHomePsychosocialSecondhand smokeSmoking |
| spellingShingle | Grace Ping Ping Tan Odelia Teo Yvette van der Eijk Residential secondhand smoke in a densely populated urban setting: a qualitative exploration of psychosocial impacts, views and experiences BMC Public Health Air pollution Environment Home Psychosocial Secondhand smoke Smoking |
| title | Residential secondhand smoke in a densely populated urban setting: a qualitative exploration of psychosocial impacts, views and experiences |
| title_full | Residential secondhand smoke in a densely populated urban setting: a qualitative exploration of psychosocial impacts, views and experiences |
| title_fullStr | Residential secondhand smoke in a densely populated urban setting: a qualitative exploration of psychosocial impacts, views and experiences |
| title_full_unstemmed | Residential secondhand smoke in a densely populated urban setting: a qualitative exploration of psychosocial impacts, views and experiences |
| title_short | Residential secondhand smoke in a densely populated urban setting: a qualitative exploration of psychosocial impacts, views and experiences |
| title_sort | residential secondhand smoke in a densely populated urban setting a qualitative exploration of psychosocial impacts views and experiences |
| topic | Air pollution Environment Home Psychosocial Secondhand smoke Smoking |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-022-13561-7 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT gracepingpingtan residentialsecondhandsmokeinadenselypopulatedurbansettingaqualitativeexplorationofpsychosocialimpactsviewsandexperiences AT odeliateo residentialsecondhandsmokeinadenselypopulatedurbansettingaqualitativeexplorationofpsychosocialimpactsviewsandexperiences AT yvettevandereijk residentialsecondhandsmokeinadenselypopulatedurbansettingaqualitativeexplorationofpsychosocialimpactsviewsandexperiences |