Effects of Passive Smoking on Pulmonary Function in Adults

Jung, Yun Ryung; Youn, Chang Ho; Ko, Hae Jin

Korean J Health Promot > Volume 11(3); 2011 > Article

Original Article

Korean Journal of Health Promotion 2011;11(3):115-121.

Effects of Passive Smoking on Pulmonary Function in Adults

Yun Ryung Ryung Jung, Chang Ho Ho Youn, Hae Jin Jin Ko

Department of Family Medicine, Kyungpook National University Hospital, Kyungpook National University School of Medicine, Daegu, Korea. ychfm@knu.ac.kr

Abstract

BACKGROUND
Passive smoking is an important worldwide public health issue. In many Korean studies, parental smoking has been reported to be associated with reduced pulmonary function in children. But few studies have evaluated the effects of passive smoking on pulmonary function in adults. Therefore, we looked into this association in the study. METHODS: Participants in the study included non-smoking, healthy men (n=46) and women (n=326) from rural Korea enrolled from June to December 2006. Exposure to passive smoking was assessed by a self-administered questionnaire, and standardized pulmonary function tests were performed. RESULTS: There were significant reductions in forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1, % of predicted) and forced mean expiratory flow rate 25-75% (%) among the men exposed to passive smoke compared with those not exposed (55.7 vs 75.8, P=0.010; 33.9 vs 58.6, P=0.029, respectively). There were significant reductions in FEV1 among men exposed at both workplace and home compared with men exposed only at either workplace or home (42.8 vs 49.3, 64.6; P=0.034). No significant difference in pulmonary function was found between women exposed to passive smoke compared those not exposed. There were, however, reductions in FEV1 and FEV1/forced vital capacity among the women exposed at workplace. Regression analysis showed that passive smoking negatively affected lung function, which were not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: Exposure to environmental tobacco smoke, particularly at the workplace, adversely affects pulmonary function in adults.

Key Words: Passive smoking, Pulmonary function tests, Adults, Workplace