An evaluation of interventions in tobacco-free cities in the Khamir County ofHormozgan Province abstract
Background: A tobacco-free urban or rural space is an approach to the lowering and controllingof the rate of tobacco consumption. Environmental health interventions are carried out as acooperative attempt among multiple sectors. Evaluating the measures taken so far can reveal thestrengths and weaknesses of implementing the tobacco-free program. In this study, theinterventions made so far in Bandar Khamir in Hormozgan province were reviewed.Methods: The primary goal of interventions according to the national program and the provincialdocuments of the city was to develop a smoking-free town in Bandar Khamir County ofHormozgan. The evaluation covered three years including 2019 and 2018 and the first six monthsof 2011. Health interventions could be divided into five categories: sate of the art (8 measures),primary measures (with 4 measures), inter-sectoral meetings for coordination and seeking support(8 measures), information, training and empowerment (26 measures), and monitoring andsupervision (15 measures).Results: A review of the state-of-the-art category showed that the most frequent measures takenincluded the evaluation of the current state of tobacco consumption in subjects over 15 years andthe implementation of prevention policies. These measures prevailed in 1,766 of cases. The nextmeasures included the identification of 17 wholesale/retail operators of tobacco products, and theidentification of 12 public means of transport eligible for smoking-free vehicle certificates. In thecategory of primary measures, these were included: the formation of a secretariat and a strategiccommittee, the participation of two private organizations for external correspondence, as is regularly done. In the category of information and training measures in the interventional program,the first 4 measures were highlighted respectively: developing training and information packagesfor the target population (n=1000), informing the villagers about how and where to visit to receivecounseling and smoking cessation services from the local health center to the central health center(n= 769), putting up “no smoking” warnings in public places (n=543), raising awareness of thesmoking cessation application in a smoke-free city (n=500). In the category of monitoring andevaluation interventions, the most prevalent measures were supervisory measures on the prohibiteduse of tobacco product sale shelves (n=1186) and seasonal visits and evaluation of centers andpublic places (n=43) more than other interventions in monitoring and supervising measures.Conclusion: Developing a smoke-free environment requires continuous planning andimplementing interventions. The effective interventions in Khamir County made this place rankfirst among smoking-free cities in Iran. These interventions can prove effective in creatingsmoking-free cities in the province and other regions of the country.