Workplace exposure to secondhand smoke and its association with respiratory symptoms--a cross-sectional study among workers in Shanghai.
OBJECTIVE
To describe workplace exposure to secondhand smoke (SHS) among different working populations in Shanghai; to identify any association between respiratory symptoms and SHS exposure in these workplaces.


METHODS
Cross-sectional survey with a standardised questionnaire.


METHODS
150 worksites (including restaurants, shopping malls, hotels, hospitals, schools, kindergartens).


METHODS
3530 workers.


METHODS
Prevalence of workers with workplace exposure to SHS; average time of exposure to SHS per day; proportion of workers reporting any respiratory and sensory symptoms.


RESULTS
13.3% of employees were covered by complete smoke-free policies. Restaurant employees had the highest level of exposure to SHS (67% exposed with 2.95±3.10 h of exposure on average per day) while kindergarten employees had the lowest level (0.5% exposed with 0.01±0.01 h of exposure per day). Compared with employees from kindergartens, non-smoking workers from restaurants and shopping malls reported a higher proportion of respiratory and sensory symptoms and were more likely to suffer from all eight respiratory and sensory symptoms (OR 1.8-8.9). The length of exposure to SHS each day was positively associated with all eight symptoms except runny nose.


CONCLUSIONS
Workplace exposure to SHS is extensive in Shanghai and the implementation of the current municipal regulation does not provide adequate worker protection. There is an urgent need to establish 100% smoke-free legislation covering all workplaces and public places in Shanghai.
School of Public Health, Fudan University, PO Box 248, 138 Yixueyuan Road, Shanghai 200032, PR China.
Pinpin
P
Zheng
Weixia
W
Li
Simon
S
Chapman
Zhixing
Z
Zhang
Junling
J
Gao
Hua
H
Fu
D000328:Adult; D002681:China; D003132:Commerce; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000209:etiology; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D057766:Policy; D012140:Respiratory Tract Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D012147:Restaurants; D012574:Schools; D012907:Smoking / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D000074606:Smoking Prevention; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution / Q000009:adverse effects*; D017132:Workplace; D055815:Young Adult
D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution