Secondhand smoke exposure and urine cotinine concentrations by occupation among Korean workers: results from the 2008 Korea National Survey for Environmental Pollutants in the Human Body.
This study aimed to estimate the status of secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure through urine cotinine analysis among nonsmoking workers in Korea and to analyze factors affecting urine cotinine concentrations. Data were based on "The 2008 Korea National Survey for Environmental Pollutants in the Human Body," a cross-sectional study of the National Institute of Environmental Research of Korea. We selected 1448 nonsmoking adult workers from 200 localities to participate in this survey. Urine cotinine concentrations were analyzed using a gas chromatograph-mass selective detector. We calculated separate covariate-adjusted geometric means for socio-demographic variables for males, females, and total subjects by analysis of covariance (ANCOVA). Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS version 18.0 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, Ill.). The prevalence of self-reported exposure to SHS was 36.9%. The geometric mean (95% confidence interval) of urine cotinine concentrations among all participants was 16.50 (14.48-18.80) μg/L. Gender, living area, education, and SHS exposure showed significant differences in urine cotinine concentrations. The urine cotinine concentrations of farmworkers and blue-collar workers such as skilled agricultural, forestry, and fishery workers, and elementary occupations were higher than those of white-collar workers such as clerical support workers, technicians, and associate professionals. Such a high proportion of the population having high urine cotinine levels indicates widespread exposure to SHS among nonsmoking workers in Korea. Furthermore, the urine cotinine levels among nonsmoking workers exposed to SHS varied by occupation. The measured urine cotinine concentration is suggested to be a valuable indication of SHS exposure in Korea.
a Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, College of Medicine & Institute of Environmental and Occupational Medicine Inje University , Busan , Korea.
So Ryong
SR
Lee
Chae Kwan
CK
Lee
Hosub
H
Im
Wonho
W
Yang
Sang-Hwa
SH
Urm
Seung-Do
SD
Yu
Jin Heon
JH
Lee
Chun Hui
CH
Suh
Kun Hyung
KH
Kim
Byung Chul
BC
Son
Jeong Ho
JH
Kim
Se Yeong
SY
Kim
Soo Woong
SW
Lee
Jong Tae
JT
Lee
D000328:Adult; D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational / Q000032:analysis*; D003367:Cotinine / Q000652:urine*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D009790:Occupations / Q000145:classification; D015995:Prevalence; D056910:Republic of Korea; D057566:Self Report; D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution / Q000032:analysis* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational; D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution; D003367:Cotinine
occupation; secondhand smoke; urine cotinine