Legislation for smoke-free workplaces and health of bar workers in Ireland: before and after study.
OBJECTIVE
To compare exposure to secondhand smoke and respiratory health in bar staff in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland before and after the introduction of legislation for smoke-free workplaces in the Republic.


METHODS
Comparisons before and after the legislation in intervention and control regions.


METHODS
Public houses in three areas in the Republic (intervention) and one area in Northern Ireland (control).


METHODS
329 bar staff enrolled in baseline survey; 249 (76%) followed up one year later. Of these, 158 were non-smokers both at baseline and follow-up.


METHODS
Salivary cotinine concentration, self reported exposure to secondhand smoke, and respiratory and sensory irritation symptoms.


RESULTS
In bar staff in the Republic who did not themselves smoke, salivary cotinine concentrations dropped by 80% after the smoke-free law (from median 29.0 nmol/l (95% confidence interval 18.2 to 43.2 nmol/l)) to 5.1 nmol/l (2.8 to 13.1 nmol/l) in contrast with a 20% decline in Northern Ireland over the same period (from median 25.3 nmol/l (10.4 to 59.2 nmol/l) to 20.4 nmol/l (13.2 to 33.8 nmol/l)). Changes in self reported exposure to secondhand smoke were consistent with the changes in cotinine concentrations. Reporting any respiratory symptom declined significantly in the Republic (down 16.7%, -26.1% to -7.3%) but not in Northern Ireland (0% difference, -32.7% to 32.7%). After adjustment for confounding, respiratory symptoms declined significantly more in the Republic than in Northern Ireland and the decline in cotinine concentration was twice as great.


CONCLUSIONS
The smoke-free law in the Republic of Ireland protects non-smoking bar workers from exposure to secondhand smoke.
Allwright
Shane
S
Department of Public Health and Primary Care, University of Dublin, Trinity College, Trinity College Centre for Health Sciences, AMNCH, Tallaght, Dublin 24, Republic of Ireland. sllwrght@tcd.ie
Paul
Gillian
G
Greiner
Birgit
B
Mullally
Bernie J
BJ
Pursell
Lisa
L
Kelly
Alan
A
Bonner
Brendan
B
D'Eath
Maureen
M
McConnell
Bill
B
McLaughlin
James P
JP
O'Donovan
Diarmuid
D
O'kane
Eamon
E
Perry
Ivan J
IJ
D003367:Cotinine / Q000032:analysis; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D006801:Humans; D007202:Indicators and Reagents / Q000032:analysis; D007494:Ireland; D009660:Northern Ireland; D016272:Occupational Health / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D012147:Restaurants / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D012463:Saliva / Q000737:chemistry; D012650:Self Disclosure; D012907:Smoking / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D000074606:Smoking Prevention; D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D017132:Workplace / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*
D007202:Indicators and Reagents; D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution; D003367:Cotinine