Establishing a community-based smoke-free homes movement in Indonesia

INTRODUCTION: Indonesia has one of the highest male smoking rates in the world (67%) and secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure occurs in over 70% of households. To date, little research has investigated community recognition of the harms of secondhand smoke and support for a smoke-free homes (SFH) policy. This work discusses the development and implementation of a community-based SFH intervention attempting to establish SFH as a new social norm. METHODS: Research was conducted in Yogyakarta, Java. A proof-of-concept study ascertained the feasibility of mounting a community-based SFH initiative in urban neighborhoods. Educational materials on SHS were developed and pretested. An intervention was piloted and evaluated in the homes of 296 smokers residing in 4 communities. Health educators and community health volunteers were trained to implement SFH. RESULTS: Prior to the intervention, 11% of smokers did not smoke inside their home; post-intervention 54% of smokers did not smoke inside their home. The Yogyakarta District Health Office has supported large scale implementation of smoke-free homes. To date, 135 urban communities have declared themselves as having SFH. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first community-based SFH initiative to be carried out in South-East Asia. The SFH movement redefines smoking cessation as a health issue of women and children, ties family welfare to core cultural values, and offers women a leadership role in tobacco control. The sustainability of SFH in Yogyakarta has been achieved by working closely with multiple levels of government and has contributed to shifts in tobacco control policy in Indonesia.