156871 Exposure to secondhand smoke in the workplace: Serum cotinine by occupation

Tuesday, November 6, 2007

LaTisha L. Marshall, MPH , Office on Smoking and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA
Ralph S. Caraballo, PhD , Office on Smoking and Health, Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA
Terry Pechacek, PhD , Office on Smoking and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA
Stephen Babb, MPH , Office on Smoking and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA
Emmanuel Maurice, MS , Office on Smoking and Health, Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA
Objective: To examine and compare workplace exposure to secondhand smoke by occupation from 1988-1994 to 1999-2002.

Methods: We analyzed 1999-2002 data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), a nationally representative sample of the U.S. noninstitutionalized population. The analysis was restricted to 3159 employed nonsmoking adults who reported no home exposure to cigarette smoke. Occupations were assigned to 40 groups and 7 categories using the 1980 census occupational codes.

Results: Among the 7 occupational categories, serum cotinine levels (ng/mL) ranged from 0.04 for managerial/professional specialty and the farming/forestry/fishing occupations to 0.08 for precision production/craft and repair and operators/fabricators/laborers. The lowest values were observed among teachers (0.03) and the highest among service occupations and miscellaneous food preparers (0.15).

Conclusions: Based on a previous study, current data suggests that similar to the decline in SHS exposure observed in the general nonsmoking U.S population, a decline in workplace exposure to secondhand smoke among different occupational groups was also observed from 1988-1994 to 1999-2002.

Learning Objectives:
At the end of the presentation, the participant will be able to identify occupations with high exposure to SHS.

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No
Any institutionally-contracted trials related to this submission?

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

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