摘要：Objectives. We characterized workplace secondhand smoke exposure among nonsmoking women of reproductive age as a proxy for workplace secondhand smoke exposure during pregnancy. Methods. We included nonsmoking women aged 18 to 44 years employed during the past 12 months who participated in the 2010 National Health Interview Survey. We estimated the prevalence of workplace secondhand smoke exposure and its associations with sociodemographic and workplace characteristics. Results. Nine percent of women reported workplace secondhand smoke exposure. Prevalence decreased with increasing age, education, and earnings. Workplace secondhand smoke exposure was associated with chemical exposure (prevalence odds ratio [POR] = 3.3; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 2.3, 4.7); being threatened, bullied, or harassed (POR = 3.2; 95% CI = 2.1, 5.1); vapors, gas, dust, or fume exposure (POR = 3.1; 95% CI = 2.3, 4.4); and worrying about unemployment (POR = 3.0; 95% CI = 1.8, 5.2), among other things. Conclusions. Comprehensive smoke-free laws covering all workers could eliminate inequities in workplace secondhand smoke exposure, including during pregnancy. An estimated 49% of persons in the United States are covered by smoke-free legislation protecting workers from secondhand smoke in all indoor, private, nonhospitality workplaces (e.g., offices, factories, warehouses), restaurants, and bars. 1 In the absence of smoke-free legislation, employers can implement company-specific smoke-free policies, increasing the number of workers protected from exposure to secondhand smoke. Despite the existence of smoke-free laws and policies, 1 in 10 nonsmoking US workers continues to report regular exposure to secondhand smoke in the workplace. 2 Secondhand smoke exposure is associated with chronic diseases such as lung cancer, coronary heart disease, and stroke and with adverse reproductive effects, including low birth weight, when mothers are exposed during pregnancy. 3 Two thirds of first-time mothers work at some point during their pregnancy, meaning that a substantial proportion of fetuses could be exposed to secondhand smoke at their mother’s workplace. 4 There are few data available on the prevalence of workplace secondhand smoke among pregnant women in the United States or on the characteristics of pregnant women and their workplaces associated with secondhand smoke exposure. This information would help us identify which pregnant workers remain at risk for secondhand smoke exposure despite the growing number of smoke-free laws and policies in the United States. From previous studies, we know that not all US workers are equally likely to be exposed to secondhand smoke at work. Workplace secondhand smoke exposure is more common among men than women, decreases with age and educational attainment, and is most prevalent among blue-collar workers and in industries such as mining and construction. 2,5,6 Because of the differences in prevalence of exposure by gender, age, and type of employment, estimates of prevalence from the worker population as a whole (men and women of all ages) are likely not generalizable to women of reproductive age. We investigated the prevalence of reported workplace secondhand smoke exposure among women of reproductive age as a proxy for the prevalence of exposure during pregnancy and sociodemographic and workplace characteristics associated with workplace secondhand smoke exposure in this population.
