Bar workers' health and environmental tobacco smoke exposure (BHETSE): symptomatic improvement in bar staff following smoke-free legislation in Scotland.
OBJECTIVE
To examine changes in the health of bar workers after smoke-free legislation was introduced.


METHODS
Longitudinal study following bar workers from before legislation introduction, at 2 months after introduction and at 1 year to control for seasonal differences.


METHODS
Bars across a range of socio-economic settings in Scotland.


METHODS
371 bar workers recruited from 72 bars.


METHODS
Introduction of smoke-free legislation prohibiting smoking in enclosed public places, including bars.


METHODS
Change in prevalence of self-reported respiratory and sensory symptoms.


RESULTS
Of the 191 (51%) workers seen at 1-year follow-up, the percentage reporting any respiratory symptom fell from 69% to 57% (p = 0.02) and for sensory symptoms from 75% to 64% (p = 0.02) following reductions in exposure, effects being greater at 2 months, probably partly due to seasonal effects. Excluding respondents who reported having a cold at either baseline or 1 year, the reduction in respiratory symptoms was similar although greater for "any" sensory symptom (69% falling to 54%, p = 0.011). For non-smokers (n = 57) the reductions in reported symptoms were significant for phlegm production (32% to 14%, p = 0.011) and red/irritated eyes (44% to 18%, p = 0.001). Wheeze (48% to 31%, p = 0.006) and breathlessness (42% to 29%, p = 0.038) improved significantly in smokers. There was no relationship between change in salivary cotinine levels and change in symptoms.


CONCLUSIONS
Bar workers in Scotland reported significantly fewer respiratory and sensory symptoms 1 year after their working environment became smoke free. As these improvements, controlled for seasonal variations, were seen in both non-smokers and smokers, smoke-free working environments may have potentially important benefits even for smokers.
Ayres
J G
JG
Department of Environmental and Occupational Medicine, Liberty Safe Work Research Centre, Aberdeen, UK. j.g.ayres@bham.ac.uk
Semple
S
S
MacCalman
L
L
Dempsey
S
S
Hilton
S
S
Hurley
J F
JF
Miller
B G
BG
Naji
A
A
Petticrew
M
M
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational; D016902:Air Pollution, Indoor / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000517:prevention & control; D003367:Cotinine / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000517:prevention & control; D016272:Occupational Health / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D012463:Saliva / Q000737:chemistry; D012606:Scotland / Q000453:epidemiology; D012907:Smoking / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000517:prevention & control*; D017132:Workplace / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D055815:Young Adult
D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational; D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution; D003367:Cotinine