title: [Smoking ban in restaurants and respiratory symptoms among employees].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Along with the introduction of a smoking ban in restaurants in 2004, respiratory symptoms, urinary cotinine and lung function among employees in 13 different bars and restaurants were studied before and after the ban came into force. At the same time measurements of air quality were taken at the respective restaurants and bars. The purpose of this study was to compare self-respiratory symptoms before and after the smoking ban among the staff at the establishments.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study included 93 men and women. These were followed during a work-shift before the smoking ban and three to eight months later. Initially 86 of the participants answered a questionnaire about respiratory tract symptoms , while 67 did so at follow-up.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Before the ban 39 of the subjects (45.3%) reported wheezing in the chest and 28 (32.6%) said they had recently had an upper respiratory tract infection. 43.3% of the participants reported fewer symptoms and 20.9% more symptoms after the ban, while 35.8% reported no change. The corresponding figures among smokers were 47.5%, 15.0% and 37.5%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study shows that the introduction of a smoking ban in restaurants contributes to a reduction in reported respiratory symptoms among employees, and may therefore be advantageous for the health of this group.
authors: Statens arbeidsmiljøinstitutt, Norway. marit.skogstad@stami.no
authors: Marit
authors: M
authors: Skogstad
authors: Kristina
authors: K
authors: Kjærheim
authors: Geir
authors: G
authors: Fladseth
authors: Pål
authors: P
authors: Molander
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational / Q000009:adverse effects; D016902:Air Pollution, Indoor / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009664:Norway; D016272:Occupational Health / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D011640:Public Policy; D012135:Respiratory Sounds / Q000209:etiology; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D012147:Restaurants / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D012907:Smoking / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D000074606:Smoking Prevention; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000517:prevention & control; D017132:Workplace / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational; D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution