Study of smoking behavior in asbestos workers*

Abstract

A detailed smoking history during medical surveillance activities will enable the occupational physician to identify asbestos workers who have difficulty quitting and to develop a system in which such individuals can be referred to comprehensive smoking cessation programs.

If smoking increases absences, does quitting reduce them?

“…[26][27][28][29] In this case, it would be the ill health that caused both the higher probability of an absence as well as the quitting. To investigate this possibility of the ''quitting ill'' effect, regressions were estimated interacting health status with smoking status.…”

Smoking prevalence of asbestos workers: A comment

“…This is especially evident when the percent of current smokers in the general population is reported to be 27.7% [MMWR, 2000;Osinubi et al, 2002]. Osinubi et al, did suggest that the percent of smokers in their study population was low and unlikely represents the true smoking prevalence of asbestos workers overall.…”

“…Since asbestos workers tend to be a blue-collar category, it is likely that the 16% prevalence rate for current smokers reported by Osinubi et al, cannot be generally extrapolated to this occupational group. This is especially evident when the percent of current smokers in the general population is reported to be 27.7% [MMWR, 2000;Osinubi et al, 2002]. Osinubi et al, did suggest that the percent of smokers in their study population was low and unlikely represents the true smoking prevalence of asbestos workers overall.…”

“…The article by Osinubi et al [2002] provides an interesting assessment of smoking behavior and the importance of cessation programs for asbestos workers. This study reported a smoking prevalence (current smokers) of 16% for the study group.…”

“…Three studies that I conducted with others found the percent of current smokers for those attending asbestos abatement training courses to be 47.5% (initial training class, 1987) [Lange et al, 1987], 50.6% (initial training class, 1989-1991) [Lange, 1992], and 57.6% (annual refresher training class, 1991) [Lange et al, 1993]. Osinubi et al [2002] reports that the mean age of their study group was 60.5 years, which, in part, explains the lower percent of current smokers as represented by the health worker survivor effect (health worker effect). Those surveyed will also more likely be interested in health outcomes and prevention; thus, willing to participate in the study, as acknowledged in the article.…”