HAIR NICOTINE CONCENTRATION IN NON-SMOKING WORKERS EXPOSED TO SECONDHAND TOBACCO SMOKE

Background and Aim: Exposure to secondhand tobacco smoke (SHS) is a public health problem of high concern worldwide. Restaurants and nightclubs are the work environments with higher levels of exposure to SHS. Our aim was to assess personal exposure to SHS, measured by hair nicotine concentrations, and to identify its main determinants in non-smoking workers of bars and restaurants in Santiago, Chile. Methods: A total of 79 non-smoking workers from 25 bars and restaurants were recruited in 2008 and completed a questionnaire, provided a hair sample to measure nicotine concentrations and used two passive personal samplers to measure airborne nicotine concentrations for 24 hours. One sampler was used during working hours and one sampler was used outside the workplace. Hair and passive sampler filters were analized at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Multiple linear regression models were used to evaluate determinants related to hair nicotine concentrations. Results: The median age was 30 y...