title: Five-year trends of second-hand smoke exposure in Greece: a comparison between complete, partial, and prelegislation levels.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Our aim was to assess second-hand smoke (SHS) exposure in hospitality venues after the smoke-free legislation implemented in September 2010 in Greece and to compare with when a partial ban was in place and in 2006 when no ban was in place.
  
  
  METHODS
  Hospitality venues were prospectively assessed for their indoor concentrations of particulate matter (PM(2.5)) during the partial ban phase (n=149) and the complete ban phase (n=120, 80% followed up), while overall and matched by venue comparisons were also performed (no ban vs. partial ban vs. complete ban). Comparisons with previously collected data in 2006 when no ban was in place also was performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Indoor air levels of PM(2.5) attributable to SHS dropped following the transition from a partial to a complete ban by 34% (137 μg/m(3) vs. 90 μg/m(3), p=0.003). This drop was larger in bars (from 195 μg/m(3) to 121 μg/m(3)), than in cafes (124 μg/m(3) vs. 87 μg/m(3)) or restaurants (42 μg/m(3) vs. 39 μg/m(3)). PM(2.5) concentrations between 2006 (no ban) and the partial ban of 2010 were also found to decrease by 94 μg/m(3); however, among matched venues, the levels of indoor air pollution were not found to change significantly (218 μg/m(3) vs. 178 μg/m(3), p=0.58). Comparing the 2010 complete ban results (n=120) with previously collected data from 2006 when no ban was in place (n=43), overall PM(2.5) concentrations were found to fall from 268 μg/m(3) to 89 μg/m(3), while a matched analysis found a significant reduction in PM(2.5) concentrations (249 μg/m(3) vs. 46 μg/m(3), p=0.011).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The complete ban of smoking in hospitality venues in Greece led to a reduction in SHS exposure, in comparison to when the partial ban or no ban was in place; however, exposure to SHS was not eliminated indicating the need for stronger enforcement.
authors.affiliation: Center for Global Tobacco Control, Division of Society, Human Development and Health, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA. vardavas@hsph.harvard.edu
authors.forename: Constantine I
authors.initials: CI
authors.lastname: Vardavas
authors.forename: Nektarios
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Anagnostopoulos
authors.forename: Evridiki
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Patelarou
authors.forename: Markos
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Minas
authors.forename: Chrysanthi
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Nakou
authors.forename: Vassiliki
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Dramba
authors.forename: Gianna
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Giourgouli
authors.forename: Emmanouil
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bagkeris
authors.forename: Konstantinos
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Gourgoulianis
authors.forename: Paraskevi
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pattaka
authors.forename: Antonis
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Antoniadis
authors.forename: Christos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lionis
authors.forename: Monique
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bertic
authors.forename: Douglas
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Dockery
authors.forename: Gregory N
authors.initials: GN
authors.lastname: Connolly
authors.forename: Panagiotis K
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Behrakis
mesh_terms: D016902:Air Pollution, Indoor / Q000032:analysis* / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006115:Greece; D006801:Humans; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000517:prevention & control; D052638:Particulate Matter / Q000032:analysis*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012147:Restaurants / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution / Q000032:analysis* / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence
chemical_list: D052638:Particulate Matter; D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution