View article

To investigate the relation between lung function in employees and exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) at work and elsewhere.

Never smokers in employment (301) were identified from the fourth Scottish MONICA survey. They completed a self administered health record, which included details of exposure to ETS, and attended a survey clinic for physical and lung function measurements, and for venepuncture for estimation of serum cotinine. Differences in lung function in groups exposed to ETS were tested by analysis of variance (ANOVA), the exposure-response relation by a linear regression model, and a case-control analysis undertaken with a logistic regression model.

Both men and women showed effects on forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV₁) and forced vital capacity (FVC) from exposure to ETS—higher exposure going with poorer lung …