Using Observational Surveys to Assess Compliance With Smoke-Free Laws – 1/24/06

Q: If your state has a smoke-free law, have you conducted observational surveys to assess compliance? If so, would you be willing to share the methodology and survey tool used?

A:

1. Delaware: Our compliance inspections are conducted on a complaint driven basis. We don't at this time conduct observational surveys.
    
2. Massachusetts: We have conducted an observational survey "Operation Bar Hop" in Massachusetts. Instructions as follows:

All Operation Bar Hop visits must occur on a Thursday, Friday or Saturday night between 7pm-midnight. All Operation Bar Hop visits must be conducted by adults age 21 or older. The goal of Operation Bar Hop is to conduct an anonymous monitoring of establishments to determine if the smoke-free workplace law is being followed in these establishments.
 
Please fill out forms neatly in pen so the staff at DPH doing data-entry can clearly read your forms.

Suggestions:

• Dress appropriately for the establishments you will be visiting.
• Keep a clipboard in the car with the large forms; fill out forms when you return to the car. Do not bring a clipboard into the establishment or look official in anyway. Bring several pens along.
• If you can’t remember the information, you may want to carry a small 5x3 notebook which would fit in a pocket to record information. Another strategy is to jot notes on index cards or in a palm pilot. You want to be discrete. No one should realize you are conducting this survey.
• The best technique for counting is to have one monitor count total number of people and one monitor count total number of smokers.
• A good technique is to pretend you are looking for a friend. Have a mythical description/name in mind in case someone asks you a question. If you are looking for someone, that explains why you would walk around and be looking around an establishment. If there are multiple rooms open to the public, try to visit all the rooms. In some establishments, a bouncer will let you in for a moment to “look for a friend.” If you can’t get in an establishment, check another establishment instead.
• Safety is critical – please skip any establishments that you do not feel comfortable entering.
   
  If you have additional questions or need more information, contact Eileen.M.Sullivan@state.ma.us.

3. New York: New York implemented an observational study of smoking in restaurants, bars and bowling facilities one month before our state law went into effect, and at one, three, six, nine and 12 months after the law went into effect. We sampled, through a systematic sampling process based on telephone listings, two restaurants, two bars and one bowling facility in each county. Some counties did not have a bowling facility. The observer visited the venue on a Thursday, Friday, or Saturday at the venues busy time (evenings for bars, mornings at a breakfast diner, etc), made a small purchase, and discretely completed the observational form. The same venues were visited at each time point. Replacement venues were substituted if the selected venue had gone out of business.
    
   Click to see Observational Checklists for bars, restaurants, and bowling alleys.

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