Abstract

Objective: Exposure of general public to hazards of second hand smoking/passive smoking is not uncommon and is preventable to a large extent. We wanted to find out the knowledge and response of general adult public when exposed to secondhand smoke. Experimental approach: A cross sectional, clinic based study was done and after selection of study participants by random sampling, information was collected by a validated questionnaire administered by an interviewer after obtaining informed consent from the participants. Information was compiled and tabulated for further analysis. Findings and discussion: None of the participants had knowledge regarding ill effects of passive smoking. Large proportion of women participants, 61.2% were exposed to second hand smoke at home. There appeared to be a glaring lack of implementation of smoking legislation in public places. Conclusion: Passive smoking is a real risk in the community we surveyed. Poor knowledge about the health impact and the indifference to this important public health issue needs urgent, community oriented approach for knowledge spreading and confidence building among the public.

Authors and Affiliations