title: Prevalence and patterns of environmental tobacco smoke exposures among California teachers.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study describes the prevalence and patterns of environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) exposure in a large, well-defined cohort of professional, female school employees in California.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a cross-sectional study based on survey responses from members of the California Teachers Study (CTS) cohort.
  
  
  METHODS
  The analyses focused on lifetime nonsmokers (N = 61,899) in the CTS cohort who responded to detailed questions on lifetime ETS exposures in the home, workplace, and other social settings.
  
  
  METHODS
  Demographic characteristics, smoking status, and ETS exposure were based on self-reported data from two mailed surveys. Prevalence estimates within the cohort were compared with those from the California Behavioral Risk Factor Survey and the California Adult Tobacco Survey.
  
  
  RESULTS
  ETS exposures were highest for never smokers born in the 1930s (78% in the home, 66% in the workplace, and 48% in other social settings) and steadily declined among participants born in later years. ETS exposure from spousal smoking peaked during the 1950s (37%). In the 1980s, the workplace (28%) replaced the household (19%) as the primary exposure setting.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Consideration of these patterns in the prevalence of ETS exposures is important in the interpretation and design of tobacco-related health studies.
authors.affiliation: Environmental Epidemiology Section, California Department of Health Services, Environmental Health Investigations Branch, Oakland, California 94612, USA. preynolds@dhs.ca.gov
authors.forename: Peggy
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Reynolds
authors.forename: Debbie E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Goldberg
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hurley
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D040343:Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System; D002140:California / Q000453:epidemiology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005178:Faculty / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005191:Family Characteristics; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015995:Prevalence; D012574:Schools / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology; D013997:Time Factors; D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016387:Women's Health; D017132:Workplace / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
chemical_list: D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution