Second Hand Smoke Exposure and Excess Heart Disease and Lung Cancer Mortality among Hospital Staff in Crete, Greece: A Case Study

Abstract

Exposure to secondhand smoke (SHS) is a serious threat to public health, and a significant cause of lung cancer and heart disease among non-smokers. Even though Greek hospitals have been declared smoke free since 2002, smoking is still evident. Keeping the above into account, the aim of this study was to quantify the levels of exposure to environmental tobacco smoke and to estimate the attributed lifetime excess heart disease and lung cancer deaths per 1000 of the hospital staff, in a large Greek public hospital. Environmental airborne respirable suspended particles (RSP) of PM2.5 were performed and the personnpel’s excess mortality risk was estimated using risk prediction formulas. Excluding the intensive care unit and the operating theatres, all wards and clinics were polluted with environmental tobacco smoke. Mean SHS-RSP measurements ranged from 11 to 1461 μg/m3 depending on the area. Open wards averaged 84 μg/m3 and the managing wards averaged 164 μg/m3 thus giving an excess lung cancer and heart disease of 1.12 (range 0.23–1.88) and 11.2 (range 2.3–18.8) personnel in wards and 2.35 (range 0.55–12.2) and 23.5 (range 5.5–122) of the managing staff per 1000 over a 40-year lifespan, respectively. Conclusively, SHS exposure in hospitals in Greece is prevalent and taking into account the excess heart disease and lung cancer mortality risk as also the immediate adverse health effects of SHS exposure, it is clear that proper implementation and enforcement of the legislation that bans smoking in hospitals is imperative to protect the health of patients and staff alike.

Tobacco Control: Visualisation of Research Activity Using Density-Equalizing Mapping and Scientometric Benchmarking Procedures

“…The 20th century has witnessed the birth and development of a dangerous new epidemic: in the last 50 years, due to the constant rise in tobacco consumption, tobacco smoke has become an important health hazard in numerous countries [ 1 , 2 ]. In this respect it has become clear that nicotine is the leading substance concerning the development of the addiction [ 3 ].…”

Second-hand smoke exposure in a sample of European hospitals

“…In a previous study in Catalonia, Spain, low levels of airborne nicotine were found in 44 public hospitals before the new Spanish tobacco control law came into force in 2006, which subsequently mostly decreased to unquantifiable concentrations after the ban [6]. However, PM2.5 concentrations have been scantily used in the monitoring of SHS in hospitals, except for some pilot experiences in Italy [24] and Greece [25]. These studies indicate that measurement of PM2.5 concentrations is a feasible and sensible method of SHS assessment in hospitals.…”

Clearing the smoke around the TB-HIV syndemic: smoking as a critical issue for TB and HIV treatment and care

“…27–29 Smokefree health care environments have been identified as a key strategy for institutions and practitioners to protect patients, staff and visitors. 30,31 Implementing smokefree environments should be part of routine infection control duties of TB-HIV staff.…”