Characteristics of Non-Smokers’ Exposure Using Indirect Smoking Indicators and Time Activity Patterns

Byung Lyul Woo, Min Kyung Lim, Eun Young Park, Jinhyeon Park, Hyeonsu Ryu, Dayoung Jung, Marcus J. Ramirez and Wonho Yang
Additional contact information
Byung Lyul Woo: Department of Occupational Health, Daegu Catholic University, Gyeongsan-si, Gyeongbuk 38430, Korea
Min Kyung Lim: Department of Cancer Control and Population Health, National Cancer Center, Graduate School of Cancer Science and Policy, Goyang-si, Gyeonggi-do 10408, Korea
Eun Young Park: Division of Cancer Prevention & Early Detection, National Cancer Control Institute, National Cancer Center, Goyang-si, Gyeonggi-do 10408, Korea
Jinhyeon Park: Center of Environmental Health Monitoring, Daegu Catholic University, Gyeongsan-si, Gyeongbuk 38430, Korea
Hyeonsu Ryu: Department of Occupational Health, Daegu Catholic University, Gyeongsan-si, Gyeongbuk 38430, Korea
Dayoung Jung: Department of Occupational Health, Daegu Catholic University, Gyeongsan-si, Gyeongbuk 38430, Korea
Marcus J. Ramirez: Industrial Hygiene, Preventive Medicine, Force Health Protection, U. S. Army Medical Department Activity-Korea/65th Medical Brigade, Unit # 15281, APO AP 96271-5281, USA
Wonho Yang: Department of Occupational Health, Daegu Catholic University, Gyeongsan-si, Gyeongbuk 38430, Korea

Sustainability, 2020, vol. 12, issue 21, 1-14

Abstract: Since the global enforcement of smoke-free policies, indoor smoking has decreased significantly, and the characteristics of non-smokers’ exposure to secondhand smoke (SHS) has changed. The purpose of this study was to assess the temporal and spatial characteristics of SHS exposure in non-smokers by combining questionnaires and biomarkers with time activity patterns. To assess SHS exposure, biomarkers such as cotinine and 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-3-(pyridyl)-1-butanol (NNAL) in urine and nicotine in hair were collected from 100 non-smokers in Seoul. Questionnaires about SHS exposure and time activity patterns were also obtained from the participants. The analysis of biomarker samples indicated that about 10% of participants were exposed to SHS when compared with the criteria from previous studies. However, 97% of the participants reported that they were exposed to SHS at least once weekly. The participants were most exposed to SHS in the outdoor microenvironment, where they spent approximately 1.2 h daily. There was a significant correlation between the participants’ time spent outdoors and self-reported SHS exposure time (r 2 = 0.935). In this study, a methodology using time activity patterns to assess temporal and spatial characteristics of SHS exposure was suggested. The results of this study may help develop policies for managing SHS exposure, considering the time activity patterns.

Keywords: secondhand smoke; time activity; smoke-free; exposure assessment (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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