Changes in the SF-8 scores among healthy non-smoking school teachers after the enforcement of a smoke-free school policy: a comparison by passive smoke status.
BACKGROUND
The effects of the enforcement of a smoke-free workplace policy on health-related quality of life (HRQOL) among a healthy population are poorly understood. The present study was undertaken to examine the effects of the enforcement of a smoke-free school policy on HRQOL among healthy non-smoking schoolteachers with respect to their exposure to passive smoke.


METHODS
Two self-reported questionnaire surveys were conducted, the first before and the second after the enforcement of a total smoke-free public school policy in Nara City. A total of 1534 teachers were invited from 62 schools, and their HRQOL was assessed using six domains extracted from the Medical Outcomes Survey Short Form-8 questionnaire (SF-8): general health perception (GH), role functioning-physical (RP), vitality (VT), social functioning (SF), mental health (MH), and role functioning-emotional (RE). The participants were divided into two groups according to their exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) at baseline: participants not exposed to ETS at school (non-smokers), and participants exposed to ETS at school (passive smokers). Changes in each SF-8 score were evaluated using paired t-tests for each group, and their inter-group differences were evaluated using multiple linear regression analyses adjusted for sex, age, school type, managerial position, and attitude towards a smoke-free policy.


RESULTS
After ineligible subjects were excluded, 689 teachers were included in the analyses. The number of non-smokers and passive smokers was 447 and 242, respectively. Significant changes in SF-8 scores were observed for MH (0.9; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.2-1.5) and RE (0.7; 95% CI, 0.0-1.3) in non-smokers, and GH (2.2; 95% CI, 1.2-3.1), VT (1.8; 95% CI, 0.9-2.7), SF (2.7; 95% CI, 1.6-3.8), MH (2.0; 95% CI, 1.0-2.9), and RE (2.0; 95% CI, 1.2-2.8) in passive smokers. In the multiple linear regression analyses, the net changes in the category scores of GH (1.8; 95% CI, 0.7-2.9), VT (1.4, 95% CI, 0.3-2.5), SF (2.5; 95% CI, 1.1-3.9), MH (1.2; 95% CI, 0.1-2.4) and RE (1.6; 95% CI, 0.5-2.7) in passive smokers significantly exceeded those in non-smokers.


CONCLUSIONS
A smoke-free school policy would improve the HRQOL of healthy non-smoking teachers who are exposed to ETS.
Kiyohara
Kosuke
K
Health Administration Center, Nara Women's University, Kitauoya-Nishimachi, Nara 630-8506, Japan.
Itani
Yuri
Y
Kawamura
Takashi
T
Matsumoto
Yoshitaka
Y
Takahashi
Yuko
Y
D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D005178:Faculty / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006291:Health Policy; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011594:Psychometrics; D011788:Quality of Life; D012574:Schools / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D012907:Smoking / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017132:Workplace / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence
D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution