272135 Secondhand tobacco smoke: An occupational hazard for smoking and non-smoking bar and nightclub employees

Monday, October 29, 2012

Miranda R. Jones, MHS , Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD
Heather Wipfli, PhD , Department of Preventive Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
Shahida Shahrir, MPH , Institute for Global Tobacco Control, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD
Erika Avila- Tang, MHS, PhD , Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD
Jonathan M. Samet, MD, MS , Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
Patrick N. Breysse, MHS, PhD , Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD
Ana Navas- Acien, MD, PhD , Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD
Famri Bar Study Investigators , Institute for Global Tobacco Control, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD
Background: In the absence of comprehensive smoking bans in public places, bars and nightclubs have the highest concentrations of secondhand smoke, posing a serious health risk for employees in these venues.

Objective: To assess exposure of bar and nightclub employees to secondhand smoke, including non-smoking and smoking employees.

Methods: Between 2007 and 2009, we recruited approximately 10 venues per city and up to 5 employees per venue in 24 cities in the Americas, Eastern Europe, Asia and Africa. Air nicotine concentrations were measured for 7 days in 238 venues. To evaluate personal exposure to secondhand smoke, hair nicotine concentrations were measured for 625 non-smoking and 311 smoking employees.

Results: Median (interquartile range [IQR]) air nicotine concentrations were 3.5 (1.5, 8.5) μg/m3 and 0.2 (0.1, 0.7) μg/m3 in smoking and smoke-free venues, respectively. Median (IQR) hair nicotine concentrations were 6.0 (1.6, 16.0) ng/mg and 1.7 (0.5, 5.5) ng/mg in smoking and non-smoking employees, respectively. After multivariable adjustment, a 2-fold increase in air nicotine concentrations was associated with a 30% (95% confidence interval 23%, 38%) increase in hair nicotine concentrations in non-smoking employees and with a 10% (2%, 19%) increase in smoking employees.

Conclusions: Occupational exposure to secondhand smoke, assessed by air nicotine, resulted in elevated concentrations of hair nicotine among non-smoking and smoking employees. The high levels of airborne nicotine measured and the contribution of this exposure to employee hair nicotine concentrations support the need for legislation measures that ensure complete protection from secondhand smoke in these venues.

Learning Areas:
Environmental health sciences
Epidemiology
Occupational health and safety
Public health or related research

Learning Objectives:
Assess exposure of bar and nightclub employees to secondhand smoke, including non-smoking and smoking employees.

Keywords: Smoking, Occupational Exposure

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have been the lead author or co-author of multiple studies focusing on secondhand smoke exposure and other environmental exposures. My scientific interests include environmental and occupational epidemiology and cardiovascular disease outcomes.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

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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