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At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2001

Has the ban on smoking in New South Wales restaurants worked? A comparison of restaurants in Sydney and Melbourne.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate compliance with a legislative ban on smoking inside restaurants by comparing smoking in Sydney restaurants (where it is legally banned) with smoking in Melbourne restaurants (not subject to a legal ban). DESIGN AND PARTICIPANTS: Unobtrusive observational study of restaurant patrons, and interviews with restaurant staff, carried out by 159 volunteers. SETTING: 78 Sydney restaurants with smoke-free indoor environments (as required by legislation) and 81 Melbourne restaurants not subject to legislation preventing smoking. The study took place from 20-31 October 2000. INTERVENTION: Legislation to ban smoking in indoor areas of restaurants was introduced in New South Wales in September 2000 (about six weeks before our study). OUTCOMES: Observed incidents of smoking inside restaurants; staff attitudes to the ban; customer satisfaction as indicated by comments to staff; staff perceptions of restaurant patronage. RESULTS: No restaurant patrons were seen smoking in 78 Sydney restaurants during 156 hours of observation of 2,646 diners, compared with 176 smokers among 3,014 Melbourne diners over 154 hours of observation. Thirty-one per cent (24/78) of Sydney restaurants had experienced smokers attempting to smoke indoors after the legislation was introduced; 6% (5/78) reported instances of smokers refusing to stop smoking when asked; 79% (62/78) of restaurants had received favourable comments from patrons about the smoke-free law; 81% (63/78) of restaurant staff interviewed either supported or strongly supported the law. Since introduction of the legislation, 76% of restaurants reported normal trade, 14% increased trade, and 9% reduced trade. CONCLUSIONS: Smoke-free restaurants do not require "smoking police" to enforce bans, present few ongoing difficulties for staff, attract many more favourable than unfavourable comments from patrons, and do not adversely affect trade.

Attitude↗
PubMed2003

The descriptive epidemiology of local restaurant smoking regulations in Massachusetts: an analysis of the protection of restaurant customers and workers.

OBJECTIVES: To describe the range of restaurant smoking regulations in the 351 cities and towns in Massachusetts, and to analyse the level of protection from secondhand smoke exposure guaranteed by these regulations. DESIGN: We obtained the local restaurant smoking regulations for each town, analysing them in terms of the protection of restaurant workers, bar workers, and adult and youth restaurant customers. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: The percentage of restaurant patrons and workers and bar workers who are protected from secondhand smoke exposure by the current smoking regulations in Massachusetts. RESULTS: As of June 2002, 225 towns had local restaurant smoking regulations. Of these, 69 (30.7%) do not allow smoking in restaurants, 10 (4.4%) restrict smoking to adult only restaurants, 64 (28.4%) restrict smoking to enclosed, separately ventilated areas, and 82 (36.4%) restrict smoking to areas that need not be enclosed and separately ventilated. Of the 174 towns that, at a minimum, restrict smoking to bar areas or separately ventilated areas, 35 (20.1%) allow variances. Overall, 60 towns, covering only 17.7% of the population, completely ban smoking in restaurants. As a result, 81.3% of adult restaurant customers, 81.2% of youth customers, 82.3% of restaurant workers, and 87.0% of bar workers are not guaranteed protection from secondhand smoke in restaurants. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the widespread adoption of local restaurant smoking regulations in Massachusetts, the majority of restaurant customers and workers remain unprotected from secondhand smoke exposure. In light of this, public health practitioners must stop compromising the protection of customers and workers from secondhand smoke exposure in restaurants.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Prohibiting smoking in restaurants: effects on restaurant sales.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of prohibiting smoking in restaurants on total restaurant sales in Flagstaff, Arizona. DESIGN: Flagstaff restaurant and retail sales data were collected for periods approximately 3.5 years prior to enactment of a no-smoking-in-restaurants ordinance and 1.5 years after enactment of the ordinance. Data were compared with six comparison areas utilizing four methods of analyses. SETTING: The city of Flagstaff, Arizona, was the community in this study that prohibited smoking in restaurants. SUBJECTS: Flagstaff restaurant and retail sales were compared to sales in two similar Arizona cities, three counties, and the entire state of Arizona. INTERVENTION: A city ordinance that prohibited smoking in all Flagstaff, Arizona, restaurants. MEASURES: Taxable restaurant sales were collected from Flagstaff and all comparison areas. Retail sales data were also collected to determine if changes occurred in the ratio of restaurant to retail sales. RESULTS: All analyses resulted in the same conclusions: prohibiting smoking in restaurants did not affect restaurant sales. CONCLUSIONS: Study findings indicate that prohibiting smoking in Flagstaff, Arizona, restaurants has had no effect on restaurant sales.

Arizona↗
PubMed2002

Economic effect of restaurant smoking restrictions on restaurant business in Massachusetts, 1992 to 1998.

OBJECTIVE: To determine if restaurant business declines or improves after the implementation of restrictive restaurant smoking policies. DESIGN: Analysis used a pre/post-quasi-experimental design that compared town meals tax receipts before and after the imposition of highly restrictive restaurant smoking policies in adopting versus non-adopting communities. The effect of restaurant smoking policies was estimated using a fixed effects regression model, entering a panel of 84 months of data for the 239 towns in the study. A separate model estimated the effect of restaurant smoking policies on establishments that served alcohol. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Change in the trend in meals tax revenue (adjusted for population) following the implementation of highly restrictive restaurant smoking policies. RESULTS: The local adoption of restrictive restaurant smoking policies did not lead to a measurable deviation from the strong positive trend in revenue between 1992 and 1998 that restaurants in Massachusetts experienced. Controlling for other less restrictive restaurant smoking policies did not change this finding. Similar results were found for only those establishments that served alcoholic beverages. CONCLUSIONS: Highly restrictive restaurant smoking policies do not have a significant effect on a community's level of meal receipts, indicating that claims of community wide restaurant business decline under such policies are unwarranted.

Economics↗
PubMed1994

The effect of ordinances requiring smoke-free restaurants on restaurant sales.

OBJECTIVES: The effect on restaurant revenues of local ordinances requiring smoke-free restaurants is an important consideration for restauranteurs themselves and the cities that depend on sales tax revenues to provide services. METHODS: Data were obtained from the California State Board of Equalization and Colorado State Department of Revenue on taxable restaurant sales from 1986 (1982 for Aspen) through 1993 for all 15 cities where ordinances were in force, as well as for 15 similar control communities without smoke-free ordinances during this period. These data were analyzed using multiple regression, including time and a dummy variable for whether an ordinance was in force. Total restaurant sales were analyzed as a fraction of total retail sales and restaurant sales in smoke-free cities vs the comparison cities similar in population, median income, and other factors. RESULTS: Ordinances had no significant effect on the fraction of total retail sales that went to restaurants or on the ratio of restaurant sales in communities with ordinances compared with those in the matched control communities. CONCLUSIONS: Smoke-free restaurant ordinances do not adversely affect restaurant sales.

California↗
PubMed1999

The economic effect of smoke-free restaurant policies on restaurant business in Massachusetts.

The objective of the study was to determine if local smoke-free restaurant policies in Massachusetts affected restaurant sales. The authors used a pre-/post-quasi-experimental design to compare town-level meals tax data before and after the imposition of local smoke-free restaurant policies. Data for 235 towns (including 32 adopting communities) were entered into a fixed effects regression model to estimate changes in restaurant sales over time. The study failed to find a statistically significant effect of local smoke-free policies on restaurant business. It provides evidence that local smoke-free policies do not cause a large decline in communities' restaurant industries.

Health Policy↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The evaluation of the effectiveness of routine restaurant inspections and education of food handlers: restaurant inspection survey.

To determine restaurant inspection and food handler education practices in Canada, a survey of 141 jurisdictions was conducted. The response rate was 100%. All jurisdictions inspected restaurants, but the frequency of routine inspection varied from none to six or more times per year. The frequency of violations found on routine inspection was associated with foodborne illness. However, the frequency of inspection was not correlated with disease or with violations. Food handler education courses were mandatory in 32% of jurisdictions. Most courses were one to two days. No correlation was found between the numbers of individuals trained in the past year and violations or reported foodborne disease. This lack of reduction in reported foodborne illness may be due to the ecological nature of the survey or to the lack of effectiveness of food handler education or of routine restaurant inspections in reducing violations.

Canada↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Routine restaurant inspections and education of food handlers: recommendations based on critical appraisal of the literature and survey of Canadian jurisdictions on restaurant inspections and education of food handlers.

Inspection of restaurants and education of food handlers are two methods used by regulatory agencies to ensure food served in restaurants is safe to eat. The variation which exists in the implementation of these programs suggests that the programs' effectiveness is lacking or is not clear. Recommendations based on the Community Health Practice Guideline methodology, the results of a critical review of the literature, the results of a survey of practices, and expert opinion were developed. The recommendations include: continuation of routine inspections at a frequency of one to two inspections per year per restaurant and the continuation of education programs. The evidence on which these recommendations are based is scant and more research is needed to ensure programs are needed, effective and efficient.

Canada↗
PubMed2002

A risk-based restaurant inspection system in Los Angeles County.

The majority of local health departments perform routine restaurant inspections. In Los Angeles County (LAC), California, approximately $10 million/year is spent on restaurant inspections. However, data are limited as to whether or not certain characteristics of restaurants make them more likely to be associated with foodborne incident reports. We used data from the LAC Environmental Health Management Information System (EHMIS), which records the results of all routine restaurant inspections as well as data regarding all consumer-generated foodborne incidents that led to a special restaurant inspection by a sanitarian (investigated foodborne incidents [IFBIs]). We analyzed a cohort of 10,267 restaurants inspected from 1 July 1997 to 15 November 1997. We defined a "case restaurant" as any restaurant with a routine inspection from 1 July 1997 to 15 November 1997 and a subsequent IFBI from 1 July 1997 to 30 June 1998. Noncase restaurants did not have an IFBI from I July 1997 to 30 June 1998. We looked for specific characteristics of restaurants that might be associated with the restaurant subsequently having an IFBI, including the size of restaurant (assessed by number of seats), any previous IFBIs, the overall inspection score, and a set of 38 violation codes. We identified 158 case restaurants and 10,109 noncase restaurants. In univariate analysis, middle-sized restaurants (61 to 150 seats; n = 1,681) were 2.8 times (95% confidence interval [CI] = 2.0 to 4.0) and large restaurants (>150 seats; n = 621) were 4.6 times (95% CI = 3.0 to 7.0) more likely than small restaurants (< or =60 seats; n = 7,965) to become case restaurants. In addition, the likelihood of a restaurant becoming a case restaurant increased as the number of IFBIs in the prior year increased (chi2 for linear trend, P value = 0.0005). Other factors significantly associated with the occurrence of an IFBI included a lower overall inspection score, the incorrect storage of food, the reuse of food, the lack of employee hand washing, the lack of thermometers, and the presence of any food protection violation. In multivariate analysis, the size of restaurant, the incorrect storage of food, the reuse of food, and the presence of any food protection violation remained significant predictors for becoming a case restaurant. Our data suggest that routine restaurant inspections should concentrate on those establishments that have a large seating capacity or a poor inspection history. Evaluation of inspection data bases in individual local health departments and translation of those findings into inspection guidelines could lead to an increased efficiency and perhaps cost-effectiveness of local inspection programs.

Cohort Studies↗
PubMed2001

Indoor air quality at restaurants with different styles of cooking in metropolitan Hong Kong.

Indoor air quality (IAQ) of a restaurant has increasingly received a lot of public concerns in Hong Kong. Unfortunately, there is limited data about the IAQ of Hong Kong restaurants. In order to characterize the current IAQ of local restaurants, four restaurants in metropolitan Hong Kong including a Korean barbecue style restaurant, a Chinese hot pot restaurant, a Chinese dim sum restaurant and a Western canteen were selected for this study. The results of this study showed that the mean concentrations of CO2 at restaurants with gas stoves for food cooking in dining areas exceeded the range from 40 to 60% indoor CO2 concentrations at restaurants without gas stoves in dining areas. The average levels of PM10 and PM2.5 at the Korean barbecue style restaurant were as high as 1442 and 1167 microg/m3, respectively. At the Korean barbecue and Chinese hot pot restaurants, the levels of PM2.5 accounted for 80-93% of their respective PM10 concentrations. The 1-h average levels of CO observed at Korean barbecue style and hot pot restaurants were 15,100 and 8000 microg/m3, respectively. Relatively high concentrations of CO2, CO, PM10, PM2.5 benzene, toluene, methylene chloride and chloroform were measured in the dining areas of the Korean barbecue style and the Chinese hot pot restaurants. The operations of pan-frying food and boiling food with soup in a hot pot could generate considerable quantities of air pollutants.

Air Pollution, Indoor↗
PubMed2002

An evaluation of ventilation system flow rates and levels of carbon dioxide, ambient temperature, and relative humidity in restaurants.

Studies of the indoor air quality of restaurants have rarely focused on ventilation system performance in relation to air pollutants and climatic factors. This study was conducted in eight restaurants to examine this issue by determining the ventilation flow rates and the levels of carbon dioxide (CO2), ambient temperature, and relative humidity during at least one complete shift of serving a meal. The mean values of number of dining patrons, ventilation flow rates, and the levels of CO2, ambient temperature, and relative humidity were not significantly different in the nonsmoking dining rooms and the smoking dining rooms. The mean ventilation flow rates in individual restaurants ranged from 42-113 cubic feet per minute per person (cfm/person), overall exceeding the recommended lower limit of 30 cfm/person. The mean levels of CO2 in two restaurants (646 and 819 ppm) were below, and in the other six restaurants (ranging 1,012-1,820 ppm) were above the recommended upper limit of 1000 ppm. The levels of CO2 in each restaurant significantly correlated with the number of dining patrons and in four restaurants accumulated gradually over time. In the nonsmoking dining rooms, the levels of CO2 increased significantly as the ventilation How rates decreased. The mean ambient temperature in restaurants (ranging from 22 degrees C - 24 degrees C) were within the recommended range of 20 degrees C - 26 degrees C. The mean relative humidity in six restaurants (ranging from 46%-59%) were within the recommended upper limit of 60 percent, and in two restaurants (62% and 71%) were slightly higher than this recommended limit. It was concluded that although the mean ventilation flow rates in all restaurants exceeded the recommended value, the design of the ventilation system or the distribution of air flow rate in some sections of restaurants were not appropriate to keep the levels of CO2 and relative humidity at some measurement locations below the recommended limits.

Air Pollution, Indoor↗
PubMed2002

The effect of a smoke-free law on restaurant business in South Australia.

BACKGROUND: Despite evidence to the contrary from overseas research, the introduction of smoke-free legislation in South Australia (SA), which required all restaurants to go smoke-free in January 1999, sparked concerns among the hospitality industry about loss of restaurant business. This study aimed to determine whether the law had a detrimental impact on restaurant business in SA. METHODS: Using time series analysis, we compared the ratio of monthly restaurant turnover from restaurants and cafés in SA to (a) total retail tumover in SA (minus restaurants) for the years 1991 to 2001 and (b) Australian restaurant tumover (minus SA, Westem Australia and the Australian Capital Territory) for the years 1991-2000. RESULTS: There was no decline in the ratio of (a) SA restaurant turnover to SA retail turnover or (b) SA restaurant tumover to Australian restaurant turnover. CONCLUSION: The introduction of a smoke-free law applying to restaurants in SA did not adversely affect restaurant business in SA.

Commerce↗
PubMed2002

Public opinion on smoke-free policies in restaurants and predicted effect on patronage in Hong Kong.

BACKGROUND: The Hong Kong government has proposed legislation for smoke-free policies in all restaurants and bars. This is opposed by certain sections of the catering industry. OBJECTIVE: To assess public opinion on smoke-free restaurants and to estimate changes in patronage. DESIGN: A population based, cross sectional random digit dialling telephone survey conducted from November 1999 to January 2000. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: 1077 randomly selected subjects age 15 years or over (response fraction of 81.6%). RESULTS: 68.9% (95% confidence interval (CI) 66.2% to 71.7%) supported a totally smoke-free policy in restaurants. Experiences of discomfort or symptoms from second hand smoke in restaurants were common. The majority (77.2%, 95% CI 74.7% to 79.7%) anticipated no change in their frequency of use of restaurants after a smoke-free policy. Increased use was predicted by 19.7% (95% CI 17.3% to 22.1%) of respondents, whereas 3.2% (95% CI 2.2% to 4.4%) stated that they would dine out less often. In multivariate analyses, non-smokers (adjusted odds ratio (OR) 4.9), people who ate three times or less per week in restaurants as compared to those who ate >10 times per week (OR 2.1), those who had previous experience of discomfort from exposure to passive smoking in restaurants (OR 2.8), or who had avoided restaurants in the past because of smoking (OR 1.9), were more likely to support a totally smoke-free policy in restaurants. Smoke-free policies do not appear to have an adverse effect on restaurants, and may increase business by a considerable margin. CONCLUSION: This comprehensive survey-the first in Asia-shows strong community support for smoke-free dining and predicts an overall increase in the patronage of restaurants after the introduction of legislation for totally smoke-free restaurants.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

Results of routine restaurant inspections can predict outbreaks of foodborne illness: the Seattle-King County experience.

To analyze the association between the results of routine inspections and foodborne outbreaks in restaurants, we conducted a matched case-control study using available data from Seattle-King County, Washington. Case restaurants were facilities with a reported foodborne outbreak between January 1, 1986 and March 31, 1987 (N = 28). Two control restaurants with no reported outbreaks during this period were matched to each case restaurant on county health district and date of routine inspection (N = 56). Data from the routine inspection that preceded the outbreak (for case restaurants) or the date-matched routine inspection (for control restaurants) were abstracted from computerized inspection records. Case restaurants had a significantly lower mean inspection score (83.8 on a 0 to 100 point scale) than control restaurants (90.9). Restaurants with poor inspection scores and violations of proper temperature controls of potentially hazardous foods were, respectively, five and ten times more likely to have outbreaks than restaurants with better results. Although this study demonstrates that Seattle-King County's routine inspection form can successfully identify restaurants at increased risk of foodborne outbreaks, it also illustrates that more emphasis on regulation and education is needed to prevent outbreaks in restaurants with poor inspection results.

Disease Outbreaks↗
PubMed1997

A large community outbreak of salmonellosis caused by intentional contamination of restaurant salad bars.

CONTEXT: This large outbreak of foodborne disease highlights the challenge of investigating outbreaks caused by intentional contamination and demonstrates the vulnerability of self-service foods to intentional contamination. OBJECTIVE: To investigate a large community outbreak of Salmonella Typhimurium infections. DESIGN: Epidemiologic investigation of patients with Salmonella gastroenteritis and possible exposures in The Dalles, Oregon. Cohort and case-control investigations were conducted among groups of restaurant patrons and employees to identify exposures associated with illness. SETTING: A community in Oregon. Outbreak period was September and October 1984. PATIENTS: A total of 751 persons with Salmonella gastroenteritis associated with eating or working at area restaurants. Most patients were identified through passive surveillance; active surveillance was conducted for selected groups. A case was defined either by clinical criteria or by a stool culture yielding S Typhimurium. RESULTS: The outbreak occurred in 2 waves, September 9 through 18 and September 19 through October 10. Most cases were associated with 10 restaurants, and epidemiologic studies of customers at 4 restaurants and of employees at all 10 restaurants implicated eating from salad bars as the major risk factor for infection. Eight (80%) of 10 affected restaurants compared with only 3 (11%) of the 28 other restaurants in The Dalles operated salad bars (relative risk, 7.5; 95% confidence interval, 2.4-22.7; P<.001). The implicated food items on the salad bars differed from one restaurant to another. The investigation did not identify any water supply, food item, supplier, or distributor common to all affected restaurants, nor were employees exposed to any single common source. In some instances, infected employees may have contributed to the spread of illness by inadvertently contaminating foods. However, no evidence was found linking ill employees to initiation of the outbreak. Errors in food rotation and inadequate refrigeration on ice-chilled salad bars may have facilitated growth of the S Typhimurium but could not have caused the outbreak. A subsequent criminal investigation revealed that members of a religious commune had deliberately contaminated the salad bars. An S Typhimurium strain found in a laboratory at the commune was indistinguishable from the outbreak strain. CONCLUSIONS: This outbreak of salmonellosis was caused by intentional contamination of restaurant salad bars by members of a religious commune.

Contact Tracing↗