Environmental tobacco smoke exposure and health disparities: 8-year longitudinal findings from a large cohort of Thai adults

BMC Public Health

Research Article

Dujrudee Chinwong¹  Thanh Tam Tran²  Vasoontara Yiengprugsawan²  Adrian Sleigh²  Sam-ang Seubsman³ 

[1] Faculty of Pharmacy, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand;Research School of Population Health, College of Medicine, Biology and Environment, The Australian National University, Building 62, Mills Rd, Acton 2601, Canberra, Australia;School of Human Ecology, Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University, Nonthaburi, Thailand;

关键词: Environmental tobacco smoke;    Thailand;    Cohort study;    Psychological distress;    Wellbeing;    Health-related quality of life;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s12889-015-2547-y

 received in 2015-07-07, accepted in 2015-11-30,  发布年份 2015

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundIn rich countries, smokers, active or passive, often belong to disadvantaged groups. Less is known of tobacco patterns in the developing world. Hence, we seek out to investigate mental and physical health consequences of smoke exposure as well as tobacco-related inequality in transitional middle-income Thailand.MethodsWe studied a nationwide cohort of 87,151 middle-aged and older adults that we have been following for eight years (2005–2013) for emerging chronic diseases. Logistic regression was used to identify attributes associated with passive smoke exposure. Longitudinal associations between smoke exposure and wellbeing (SF-8) or psychological distress (Kessler 6) were investigated with multiple linear regression or multivariate logistic regression analysis.ResultsA high proportion of cohort members, especially females, were passive smokers at home and at public transport stations; males were more exposed at workplace and recreational places. We observed a social gradient with more passive smoking in poorer people. We also observed a dose response relationship linking graded smoke exposures (current, former, passive, non-exposed) to less wellbeing and more psychological distress (p-trend < 0.001). Female smokers in general had less wellbeing and more distress.ConclusionOur findings add to current knowledge on the impact of active and passive smoking on health in a transitional economy. Promotion of smoking cessation programs both in public and at home could also potentially reduce adverse disparities in health and wellbeing in middle and lower income settings such as Thailand.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© Tran et al. 2015