AN EVALUATION OF A UNIVERSITY-BASED TOBACCO FREE POLICY INITIATIVE: COMPLIANCE, BARRIERS, AND FACILITATING FACTORS OF POLICY ENFORCEMENT

• Published in: Malaysian Journal of Public Health Medicine
• Main Author: Anwar D.S.; Bakri N.N.; Sabri B.A.M.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Malaysian Public Health Physicians Association 2023
• Online Access: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85184744058&partnerID=40&md5=f09def706628647f40fe9bbc422d82b7

Universiti Teknologi MARA started the Tobacco Free Campus Initiative (TFI) policy in January 2016. However, no study has been done to evaluate the TFI policy compliance, barriers, and facilitating factors after 6 years. Thus, this study aims to examine the TFI policy's compliance, barriers, and facilitating factors in the policy enforcements. Compliance to the TFI policy was evaluated using the environmental checklist using the Georgia University Evaluation Toolkit. Environmental checklists derived from Georgia University Evaluation Toolkit were used as a reference during the field observations to evaluate on the compliance part. Focus group discussion was done with 5 key informants identified through purposive sampling and an interview was also conducted with the person in charge of the TFI policy. Key questions related to evaluating barriers and facilitating factors were asked and recorded for the development of themes. Findings showed that there were non-compliance issues to the policy as indicated by the amount of cigarette butts found in multiple locations, presence of smoking odour, and observed violators. Main barrier identified was lack of support, and the main facilitating factor identified were the implementation of TFI buddies. Overall, the compliance is still seen to be lacking, and barriers as well as facilitating factors identified should be examined and addressed by the stakeholders to allow for policy improvement. © (2023), (Malaysian Public Health Physicians Association). All Rights Reserved.