Evaluation of a smoke-free law on indoor air quality and on workers' health in Portuguese restaurants

Detalhes bibliográficos
Autor(a) principal: Madureira, J.
Data de Publicação: 2014
Outros Autores: Mendes, A., Teixeira, João Paulo
Tipo de documento: Artigo
Idioma: eng
Título da fonte: Repositório Científico de Acesso Aberto de Portugal (Repositórios Cientìficos)
Texto Completo: http://hdl.handle.net/10400.18/2756
Resumo: Workplace bans on smoking are interventions to reduce exposure to secondhand smoke (SHS) to try to prevent harmful health effects. The Portuguese Government on January 1, 2008, introduced the first national law banning smoking in public workplaces, including restaurants. The main aim of this study was to examine the impact of this law on indoor air quality (IAQ) in restaurants and on the respiratory and sensory health of restaurant workers. Concentrations of respirable suspended particulate matter (RSP), total volatile organic compounds (TVOC), carbon monoxide (CO), and carbon dioxide (CO2) in 10 restaurants were measured and compared before and after the ban. Benzene (C6H6) concentrations were also measured in all restaurants. Fifty-two and twenty-eight restaurant workers, respectively, answered questionnaires on exposure to SHS, and respiratory and sensory symptoms in the pre- and post-ban phases. There was a statistically significant decrease in RSP, CO, TVOC, and C6H6 concentrations after the ban. Additionally, in both phases the monitored CO2 concentrations greatly exceeded 1800 mg x m(-3), suggesting inefficient ventilation of the indoor spaces. Between pre- and post-ban phases a significant reduction in self-reported workplace SHS exposure was also observed after the enforcement of the law, as well as a significant marked reduction in dry, itching, irritated, or watery eyes, nasal problems, sore or dry throat, cough, wheeze, and headache. This study provides, in a single investigation, comparison of IAQ and respiratory health in Portugal before and after the introduction of the smoke-free law, the first data reported in the literature to our knowledge. Our findings suggest that a total workplace smoking ban results in a significant reduction in indoor air pollution and an improvement in the respiratory health of restaurant workers. These observations may have implications for policymakers and legislators currently considering the nature and extent of their smoke-free workplace legislation and could provide a useful contribution to the implementation of public health prevention programs.
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spelling Evaluation of a smoke-free law on indoor air quality and on workers' health in Portuguese restaurantsIndoor Air QualitySmokeSmoking BanSHS ExposureRespiratory SymptomsRestaurantsAr e Saúde OcupacionalPortugalWorkplace bans on smoking are interventions to reduce exposure to secondhand smoke (SHS) to try to prevent harmful health effects. The Portuguese Government on January 1, 2008, introduced the first national law banning smoking in public workplaces, including restaurants. The main aim of this study was to examine the impact of this law on indoor air quality (IAQ) in restaurants and on the respiratory and sensory health of restaurant workers. Concentrations of respirable suspended particulate matter (RSP), total volatile organic compounds (TVOC), carbon monoxide (CO), and carbon dioxide (CO2) in 10 restaurants were measured and compared before and after the ban. Benzene (C6H6) concentrations were also measured in all restaurants. Fifty-two and twenty-eight restaurant workers, respectively, answered questionnaires on exposure to SHS, and respiratory and sensory symptoms in the pre- and post-ban phases. There was a statistically significant decrease in RSP, CO, TVOC, and C6H6 concentrations after the ban. Additionally, in both phases the monitored CO2 concentrations greatly exceeded 1800 mg x m(-3), suggesting inefficient ventilation of the indoor spaces. Between pre- and post-ban phases a significant reduction in self-reported workplace SHS exposure was also observed after the enforcement of the law, as well as a significant marked reduction in dry, itching, irritated, or watery eyes, nasal problems, sore or dry throat, cough, wheeze, and headache. This study provides, in a single investigation, comparison of IAQ and respiratory health in Portugal before and after the introduction of the smoke-free law, the first data reported in the literature to our knowledge. Our findings suggest that a total workplace smoking ban results in a significant reduction in indoor air pollution and an improvement in the respiratory health of restaurant workers. These observations may have implications for policymakers and legislators currently considering the nature and extent of their smoke-free workplace legislation and could provide a useful contribution to the implementation of public health prevention programs.Taylor & Francis: STM, Behavioural Science and Public Health TitlesRepositório Científico do Instituto Nacional de SaúdeMadureira, J.Mendes, A.Teixeira, João Paulo2015-02-03T13:56:20Z20142014-01-01T00:00:00Zinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersioninfo:eu-repo/semantics/articleapplication/pdfhttp://hdl.handle.net/10400.18/2756engJ Occup Environ Hyg. 2014;11(4):201-9. doi: 10.1080/15459624.2013.8522791545-962410.1080/15459624.2013.852279.info:eu-repo/semantics/embargoedAccessreponame:Repositório Científico de Acesso Aberto de Portugal (Repositórios Cientìficos)instname:Agência para a Sociedade do Conhecimento (UMIC) - FCT - Sociedade da Informaçãoinstacron:RCAAP2023-07-20T15:39:24Zoai:repositorio.insa.pt:10400.18/2756Portal AgregadorONGhttps://www.rcaap.pt/oai/openaireopendoar:71602024-03-19T18:37:39.971120Repositório Científico de Acesso Aberto de Portugal (Repositórios Cientìficos) - Agência para a Sociedade do Conhecimento (UMIC) - FCT - Sociedade da Informaçãofalse
dc.title.none.fl_str_mv Evaluation of a smoke-free law on indoor air quality and on workers' health in Portuguese restaurants
title Evaluation of a smoke-free law on indoor air quality and on workers' health in Portuguese restaurants
spellingShingle Evaluation of a smoke-free law on indoor air quality and on workers' health in Portuguese restaurants
Madureira, J.
Indoor Air Quality
Smoke
Smoking Ban
SHS Exposure
Respiratory Symptoms
Restaurants
Ar e Saúde Ocupacional
Portugal
title_short Evaluation of a smoke-free law on indoor air quality and on workers' health in Portuguese restaurants
title_full Evaluation of a smoke-free law on indoor air quality and on workers' health in Portuguese restaurants
title_fullStr Evaluation of a smoke-free law on indoor air quality and on workers' health in Portuguese restaurants
title_full_unstemmed Evaluation of a smoke-free law on indoor air quality and on workers' health in Portuguese restaurants
title_sort Evaluation of a smoke-free law on indoor air quality and on workers' health in Portuguese restaurants
author Madureira, J.
author_facet Madureira, J.
Mendes, A.
Teixeira, João Paulo
author_role author
author2 Mendes, A.
Teixeira, João Paulo
author2_role author
author
dc.contributor.none.fl_str_mv Repositório Científico do Instituto Nacional de Saúde
dc.contributor.author.fl_str_mv Madureira, J.
Mendes, A.
Teixeira, João Paulo
dc.subject.por.fl_str_mv Indoor Air Quality
Smoke
Smoking Ban
SHS Exposure
Respiratory Symptoms
Restaurants
Ar e Saúde Ocupacional
Portugal
topic Indoor Air Quality
Smoke
Smoking Ban
SHS Exposure
Respiratory Symptoms
Restaurants
Ar e Saúde Ocupacional
Portugal
description Workplace bans on smoking are interventions to reduce exposure to secondhand smoke (SHS) to try to prevent harmful health effects. The Portuguese Government on January 1, 2008, introduced the first national law banning smoking in public workplaces, including restaurants. The main aim of this study was to examine the impact of this law on indoor air quality (IAQ) in restaurants and on the respiratory and sensory health of restaurant workers. Concentrations of respirable suspended particulate matter (RSP), total volatile organic compounds (TVOC), carbon monoxide (CO), and carbon dioxide (CO2) in 10 restaurants were measured and compared before and after the ban. Benzene (C6H6) concentrations were also measured in all restaurants. Fifty-two and twenty-eight restaurant workers, respectively, answered questionnaires on exposure to SHS, and respiratory and sensory symptoms in the pre- and post-ban phases. There was a statistically significant decrease in RSP, CO, TVOC, and C6H6 concentrations after the ban. Additionally, in both phases the monitored CO2 concentrations greatly exceeded 1800 mg x m(-3), suggesting inefficient ventilation of the indoor spaces. Between pre- and post-ban phases a significant reduction in self-reported workplace SHS exposure was also observed after the enforcement of the law, as well as a significant marked reduction in dry, itching, irritated, or watery eyes, nasal problems, sore or dry throat, cough, wheeze, and headache. This study provides, in a single investigation, comparison of IAQ and respiratory health in Portugal before and after the introduction of the smoke-free law, the first data reported in the literature to our knowledge. Our findings suggest that a total workplace smoking ban results in a significant reduction in indoor air pollution and an improvement in the respiratory health of restaurant workers. These observations may have implications for policymakers and legislators currently considering the nature and extent of their smoke-free workplace legislation and could provide a useful contribution to the implementation of public health prevention programs.
publishDate 2014
dc.date.none.fl_str_mv 2014
2014-01-01T00:00:00Z
2015-02-03T13:56:20Z
dc.type.status.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion
dc.type.driver.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/article
format article
status_str publishedVersion
dc.identifier.uri.fl_str_mv http://hdl.handle.net/10400.18/2756
url http://hdl.handle.net/10400.18/2756
dc.language.iso.fl_str_mv eng
language eng
dc.relation.none.fl_str_mv J Occup Environ Hyg. 2014;11(4):201-9. doi: 10.1080/15459624.2013.852279
1545-9624
10.1080/15459624.2013.852279.
dc.rights.driver.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/embargoedAccess
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dc.publisher.none.fl_str_mv Taylor & Francis: STM, Behavioural Science and Public Health Titles
publisher.none.fl_str_mv Taylor & Francis: STM, Behavioural Science and Public Health Titles
dc.source.none.fl_str_mv reponame:Repositório Científico de Acesso Aberto de Portugal (Repositórios Cientìficos)
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instname_str Agência para a Sociedade do Conhecimento (UMIC) - FCT - Sociedade da Informação
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