142nd APHA Annual Meeting and Exposition

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300809
An Assessment of Secondhand Tobacco Smoke Exposure Using Personal Air Sampling and Exhaled Breath Analysis

142nd APHA Annual Meeting and Exposition (November 15 - November 19, 2014): http://www.apha.org/events-and-meetings/annual
Monday, November 17, 2014 : 12:30 PM - 12:31 PM

Daniel Harrington, MSPH, ScD, CIH , Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, Louisiana State University/ Health Sciences Center, School of Public Health, New Orleans, LA
Thomas Carton, PhD , Louisiana Public Health Institute, New Orleans, LA
Atif Ghaffar , Louisiana Public Health Institute
Lindsey Rudov, MPH(c) , Louisiana Public Health Institute, New Orleans, LA
Megan Tulikangas, MPP , Louisiana Public Health Institute, New Orleans, LA
Lauren Czaplicki, MPH , Louisiana Public Health Institute, New Orleans, LA
Kris Gerig, MPH , Louisiana Public Health Institute
Audio (mp3) recording Recorded Presentation (mp4)
Background: 
Secondhand smoke (SHS) is a very well-documented human health hazard, and it is associated with a wide range of cardiovascular and respiratory health effects. Health effects associated with long-term exposure to SHS have been extensively studied, but the health effects from short-term SHS exposure are not as well understood. This presentation will describe the exposure assessment approach we used in a study measuring the effect of short-term SHS exposure on pulmonary function.

Methods:
We recruited a cohort of healthy, non-smoking adults (n=96, age=21-34) to spend three hours in a local pub where smoking is permitted.  SHS is comprised of a complex mixture of over 7,000 different compounds which makes it difficult to measure. Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is a very sensitive indicator of SHS concentration, and variability in personal PM2.5 levels can be measured with direct-reading monitoring equipment. We measured personal PM2.5 and carbon monoxide concentration levels using direct-reading monitors for each study participant. We also measured changes in exhaled breath carbon monoxide levels to further characterize personal SHS exposure.

Results and Conclusions:
We will present the results of our exposure assessment and discuss the advantages and disadvantages of our approach.

Learning Areas:

Environmental health sciences
Epidemiology
Occupational health and safety

Learning Objectives:
Describe and evaluate exposure assessment methods for secondhand tobacco smoke. Analyze the relationship between personal and ambient air pollution levels in a smoking environment.

Keyword(s): Tobacco Control, Epidemiology

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am a Certified Industrial Hygienist with over twenty years of experience measuring air pollution levels. I have been conducting research on secondhand tobacco smoke for over five years, and I have been either the principal investigator or co-investigator on multiple studies in this area.
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.

Back to: 3270.0: Industrial hygiene & exposure assessment