Association between cough and tobacco smoking exposure among construction workers / 中国职业医学

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To study the effects of tobacco smoking exposure on cough among construction workers. METHODS: Convenient sampling method was adopted to choose 204 construction workers as the study objects. The relationship of cough and tobacco smoking exposure was investigated. The objects were divided into no-smoking( 18 workers),passive-smoking( 66 workers) and active-smoking( 120 workers) groups according to different tobacco smoking exposure situation. RESULTS: The occurrence of active smoking for 204 construction workers was 58. 8%( 120 /204) and the daily active smoking rate was 51. 5%( 105 /204). The occurrence of passive smoking for the non-smokers was 78. 6%( 66 /84) and the daily passive smoking rate was 66. 7%( 56 /84). Among the construction workers,15. 2%( 31 /204) had occasional cough,and 52. 4%( 107 /204) had frequent cough,total cough occurrence was 67. 6%( 138 /204). The occurrence of occasional cough in active-smoking group was higher than that of the passive-smoking group( 23. 3% vs 1. 5%,P < 0. 01); the occurrence of frequent cough in passive-smoking group and active-smoking group were higher than that of the no-smoking group( 54. 5% vs 22. 2%,55. 8% vs 22. 2%,P < 0. 017); the total cough occurrence in active-smoking group was higher than those of the no-smoking group and passive-smoking group( 79. 2% vs 33. 3%,79. 2% vs 56. 1%,P < 0. 01). There was an association between tobacco smoking exposure and cough frequency among the construction workers. Active-smokers had higher risks than non-smokers in both occasional cough and frequent cough( odds ratio were 5. 958 and 6. 990,P <0. 05); the passive smokers had a higher risk of frequent cough than non-smokers( odds ratio was 3. 536,P < 0. 05).CONCLUSION: Tobacco smoking exposure was an important risk factor for coughing among construction workers. Effective approach should be taken into account to control tobacco usage in the construction work site.