Oral

Scientific evidence indicates that people spend approximately 90 percent of their time indoors and that the air inside homes and other buildings can be more polluted than the outdoor air. Therefore, the health risks may be greater due to exposure to air pollution indoors than outdoors. In addition, people who may be exposed to indoor air pollutants for the longest periods of time are often those most susceptible to the effects of indoor air pollution, such as children, elderly, and the chronically ill, especially those suffering from respiratory or cardiovascular disease. This session will present recent research on secondhand smoke exposure in homes and cars in absence of active smoking; illustrate a state-wide initiative to achieve smoke-free housing policies; demonstrate an indoor air quality modeling for evaluation of PM2.5 exposure reduction indoors resulting from in-duct air-cleaning and a health impact assessment of reducing the exposure; and discuss how US EPA’s Building Assessment Survey and Evaluation (BASE) study is being used by building professionals and the public health community.

Session Objectives: 1. Identify three potential pathways of exposure to tobacco smoke pollution in homes currently or previously occupied by smokers and in rental cars, in absence of active smoking. 2. Develop a state-wide, or community-wide, coalition dedicated to the advancement of smoke-free housing; and achieve state or community- wide tobacco control goals through implementation of a smoke-free housing campaign. 3. Describe the impact of high efficiency whole-house air cleaning systems in reducing exposure to particles of outdoor origin and resulting health benefits. 4. Recognize ways the BASE study data can be used by building professionals and the public health community to better understand indoor environmental quality in offices.

CE Credits: CME, Health Education (CHES), Nursing