Tobacco use and exposure to environmental tobacco smoke in relation to certain work characteristics

Abstract

This study aims to describe the prevalence of smoking, snuff use, and exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) in relation to occupation among common female and male workers in Sweden. The associations between shift work, job strain, and tobacco use and exposure to ETS are assessed. The results are based on questionnaire data of 2,584 men and 2,836 women randomly selected from 63 occupations in two counties in Sweden. The prevalence of smoking ranges from 10% (95% CI 4.5-16%, police officers) to 42% (95% CI 29-55%, packing workers) in men, and between 8% (95% CI 2-14%, dentists) and 51% (95% CI 37-65%, packing workers) in women. Snuff use is more common among men (range 11-44% in different occupations) than among women (range 0-7%). The prevalence of exposure to passive smoking in this study ranges from 0.9% to 26% in men and from 0% to 30% in women. Shiftwork is significantly associated with current smoking, and job strain is significantly related to exposure to ETS. Ages between 18 and 29 years experienced an increased risk of exposure to ETS compared to older age groups. In conclusion, this study shows that tobacco use and exposure to ETS is still a major problem in the Swedish workplace.

Keywords

job strain nicotine smoking snuff use workplace.

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Peto R. , Lopez AD , Boreham J. , Thun M. , Heath Jr C. Mortality from smoking in developed countries 1950-2000. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1994.

Swedish Central Statistical Bureau (SCB). Riksskatteverkets underlag för redovisade punktskatter samt SCBs nationalräkenskaper och prisindex. Stockholm: SCB, 1995.

Haenszel W. , Shimkin MB , Miller HP Tobacco smoking patterns in the United States. Publ Health Monogr 1956; 45: 1-111.

Sterling TD , Weinkam JJ Smoking characteristics by type of employment. J Occup Med 1976; 18: 743-53.

Stellman SD , Boffetta P. , Garfinkel L. Smoking habits of 800,000 American men and women in relation to their occupations . Am J Ind Med 1988; 13: 5-37.

Covey LS , Zang EA , Wynder EL Cigarette smoking and occupational status: 1977 to 1990. Am J Publ Health 1992; 82: 1230-4.

Knutsson A. , Luepker RV , Sprafka JM , Virnig B. Prevalence and trends of cigarette smoking in different occupational groups. Results of the Minnesota Heart Survey 1980-1982 and 1985-1987. Eur J Publ Health 1996; 6: 67-9.

Schnall PL , Landsbergis PA Job strain and cardiovascular disease. Ann Rev Publ Health 1994; 15: 381-411.

Rosen M. , Wall S. , Hanning M. , Lindberg G. , Nystrom L. Smoking habits and their confounding effects among occupational groups in Sweden. Scand J Soc Med 1987; 15: 233-40.

10.

Thelle DS , Forde OH , Try K. , Lehmann EH The Tromso Heart Study. Acta Med Scand 1976 ; 200: 107-18.

11.

Knutsson A. , Åkerstedt T. , Jonsson B. Prevalence of risk factors for coronary artery disease among day and shift workers. Scand J Work Environ Health 1988; 14: 317-21.

12.

Thompson B. , Emmons K. , Abrams D. , Ockene JK , Feng Z. ETS exposure in the workplace. Perceptions and reactions by employees in 114 work sites. J Occup Environ Med 1995; 37: 1086-92.

13.

Siegel M. , Husten C. , Merritt RK , Giovino GA , Eriksen MP

Effects of separately ventilated smoking lounges on the health of smokers: is this an appropriate public health policy?

Tobacco Control 1995; 4: 22-9.

14.

Brownson RC , Davis RM

Does exposure to environmental tobacco smoke increase the risk of lung cancer in smokers?

Tobacco Control 1995; 4: 3-4.

15.

Karasek R. , Theorell T. Healthy work. Stress, productivity, and the reconstruction of working life . New York: Basic Books, 1990.

16.

Caplan G. , Cobb S. , French Jrp , Harrison RV , Pinneau SR Jr. Job demands and worker health: main effects and occupational differences . NIOSH publication no. 75-160 U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare, 1975.

17.

Tagliacozzo R. , Vaughn S. Stress and smoking in hospital nurses. Am J Public Health 1982; 72: 441-6.