Tobacco use among prison staff in Germany: a cross-sectional study.
BACKGROUND
Studies on tobacco in the prison environment report high prevalence of use among detainees, but little data regarding staff are available. An observational study addressing tobacco control in German prisons was conducted in 2011. It involved multiple strands (quantitative and qualitative components) both among detainees and staff. This article presents quantitative results regarding staff.


METHODS
Cross-sectional study among prison employees in 16 different institutions in nine regions (Länder) in Germany. Tobacco use and second-hand smoke (SHS) exposure (primary outcomes) were assessed by a questionnaire designed specifically. Logistic regression models were used to assess the risk factors associated with each outcome.


RESULTS
Among 704 participants (60.6% male, mean age 43.9 years ± 9.33), 27.7% are smokers and 68% declared to be exposed to SHS. Independent factors associated with smoking were female gender [odds ratio (OR) 1.49,P= 0.026], an age below 45 years (OR 1.35,P= 0.08) and working in areas other than administration (ORP= 0.08). An age below 45 was associated with a higher degree of self-reported SHS exposure. The association between SHS and gender was different depending on occupational area with significantly more men exposed to SHS in administrative area and more women in health/social area (interaction between gender and occupational area,P= 0.02).


CONCLUSIONS
Importance of SHS exposure among prison employees and confirm the need for a comprehensive tobacco control policy including support to smoking cessation and better enforcement of the smoke-free regulation, especially where staff contributes to SHS. Particular attention has to be given to female employees.
1 Department of Health, Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences, Frankfurt am Main, Germany info@catherineritter.ch.
C
C
Ritter
2 Clinical Research Center & Division of Clinical Epidemiology, Department of Health and Community Medicine, Geneva University Hospital, Geneva, Switzerland.
A
A
Gayet-Ageron
3 Center for Interdisciplinary Addiction Research (CIAR), University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.
S
S
Buth
4 Department of Health, Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
H
H
Stöver
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016272:Occupational Health; D009790:Occupations / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011330:Prisons / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012737:Sex Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology*; D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution