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From Smoking-Permitted to Smokefree Prisons: A 3-Year Evaluation of the Changes in Occupational Exposure to Second-Hand Smoke Across a National Prison System.
Ann Work Expo Health. 2020 11 16; 64(9):959-969.AW

Abstract

OBJECTIVES

Prisons in Scotland were one of the few workplaces exempt from the 2006 comprehensive smoking ban in indoor public places, excluding the prison workforce from the health benefits of smokefree workplaces. The November 2018 introduction of comprehensive restrictions on smoking in Scottish prisons aimed to protect prison staff and people in custody from the harmful impacts of second-hand smoke (SHS) exposure. This study presents SHS exposure data gathered after smokefree policy implementation and compares these with data gathered during and before policy development.

METHODS

Dylos DC1700 monitors were used to measure concentrations of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) derived from SHS across Scotland's 15 prisons. Six days of fixed-site monitoring (09.00 22 May 2019 to 09.00 28 May 2019) were conducted in residential halls in each prison 6 months post-smokefree policy implementation. Prison staff task-based measurements were conducted to assess concentrations of SHS in various locations (e.g. gyms and workshops) and during specific activities (e.g. cell searches, maintenance, and meal service). Utilizing the fixed-site monitoring data, typical daily PM2.5 exposure profiles were constructed for the prison service and time-weighted average (TWA) exposure concentrations were estimated for the typical shift patterns of residential staff pre- and post-smokefree policy implementation. Staff perceptions of changes to SHS exposure were assessed using online surveys.

RESULTS

Analysis of both fixed-site and mobile task-based PM2.5 measurements showed the smokefree policy implementation was successful in reducing SHS exposures across the Scottish prison estate. Measured PM2.5 in residential halls declined markedly; median fixed-site concentrations reduced by more than 91% compared with measures in 2016 before policy announcement. The changes in the TWA concentrations across shifts (over 90% decrease across all shifts) and task-based measurements (89% average decrease for high-exposure tasks) provide evidence that prison staff exposure to SHS has significantly reduced. Following smokefree policy implementation, the majority of staff reported no longer being exposed to SHS at work.

CONCLUSIONS

To our knowledge, this is the first comprehensive international study to objectively measure SHS levels before, during, and after implementation of a smokefree policy across a country's prison system. The findings confirm that such a policy change can be successfully implemented to eliminate occupational exposures to SHS. The results are highly relevant for other jurisdictions considering changes to prison smoking legislation.

Links

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Authors+Show Affiliations

Demou E
MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit, Institute of Health and Wellbeing, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK.
Dobson R
Institute for Social Marketing and Health, University of Stirling, Stirling, UK.
Sweeting H
MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit, Institute of Health and Wellbeing, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK.
Brown A
Institute for Social Marketing and Health, University of Stirling, Stirling, UK.
Sidwell S
Scottish Prison Service, Edinburgh, UK.
O'Donnell R
Institute for Social Marketing and Health, University of Stirling, Stirling, UK.
Hunt K
Institute for Social Marketing and Health, University of Stirling, Stirling, UK.
Semple S
Institute for Social Marketing and Health, University of Stirling, Stirling, UK.

MeSH

HumansOccupational ExposurePrisonsScotlandSmokingTobacco Smoke Pollution

Pub Type(s)

Journal Article
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Language

eng

PubMed ID

32756912

Citation

Demou, Evangelia, et al. "From Smoking-Permitted to Smokefree Prisons: a 3-Year Evaluation of the Changes in Occupational Exposure to Second-Hand Smoke Across a National Prison System." Annals of Work Exposures and Health, vol. 64, no. 9, 2020, pp. 959-969.
Demou E, Dobson R, Sweeting H, et al. From Smoking-Permitted to Smokefree Prisons: A 3-Year Evaluation of the Changes in Occupational Exposure to Second-Hand Smoke Across a National Prison System. Ann Work Expo Health. 2020;64(9):959-969.
Demou, E., Dobson, R., Sweeting, H., Brown, A., Sidwell, S., O'Donnell, R., Hunt, K., & Semple, S. (2020). From Smoking-Permitted to Smokefree Prisons: A 3-Year Evaluation of the Changes in Occupational Exposure to Second-Hand Smoke Across a National Prison System. Annals of Work Exposures and Health, 64(9), 959-969. https://doi.org/10.1093/annweh/wxaa073
Demou E, et al. From Smoking-Permitted to Smokefree Prisons: a 3-Year Evaluation of the Changes in Occupational Exposure to Second-Hand Smoke Across a National Prison System. Ann Work Expo Health. 2020 11 16;64(9):959-969. PubMed PMID: 32756912.
* Article titles in AMA citation format should be in sentence-case
TY - JOUR T1 - From Smoking-Permitted to Smokefree Prisons: A 3-Year Evaluation of the Changes in Occupational Exposure to Second-Hand Smoke Across a National Prison System. AU - Demou,Evangelia, AU - Dobson,Ruaraidh, AU - Sweeting,Helen, AU - Brown,Ashley, AU - Sidwell,Scott, AU - O'Donnell,Rachel, AU - Hunt,Kate, AU - Semple,Sean, PY - 2020/03/27/received PY - 2020/06/11/revised PY - 2020/06/23/accepted PY - 2020/8/7/pubmed PY - 2021/1/29/medline PY - 2020/8/7/entrez KW - PM2.5 KW - TIPs KW - Tobacco in Prisons study KW - prisons KW - second-hand smoke exposure KW - smokefree policy KW - smoking KW - workplace SP - 959 EP - 969 JF - Annals of work exposures and health JO - Ann Work Expo Health VL - 64 IS - 9 N2 - OBJECTIVES: Prisons in Scotland were one of the few workplaces exempt from the 2006 comprehensive smoking ban in indoor public places, excluding the prison workforce from the health benefits of smokefree workplaces. The November 2018 introduction of comprehensive restrictions on smoking in Scottish prisons aimed to protect prison staff and people in custody from the harmful impacts of second-hand smoke (SHS) exposure. This study presents SHS exposure data gathered after smokefree policy implementation and compares these with data gathered during and before policy development. METHODS: Dylos DC1700 monitors were used to measure concentrations of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) derived from SHS across Scotland's 15 prisons. Six days of fixed-site monitoring (09.00 22 May 2019 to 09.00 28 May 2019) were conducted in residential halls in each prison 6 months post-smokefree policy implementation. Prison staff task-based measurements were conducted to assess concentrations of SHS in various locations (e.g. gyms and workshops) and during specific activities (e.g. cell searches, maintenance, and meal service). Utilizing the fixed-site monitoring data, typical daily PM2.5 exposure profiles were constructed for the prison service and time-weighted average (TWA) exposure concentrations were estimated for the typical shift patterns of residential staff pre- and post-smokefree policy implementation. Staff perceptions of changes to SHS exposure were assessed using online surveys. RESULTS: Analysis of both fixed-site and mobile task-based PM2.5 measurements showed the smokefree policy implementation was successful in reducing SHS exposures across the Scottish prison estate. Measured PM2.5 in residential halls declined markedly; median fixed-site concentrations reduced by more than 91% compared with measures in 2016 before policy announcement. The changes in the TWA concentrations across shifts (over 90% decrease across all shifts) and task-based measurements (89% average decrease for high-exposure tasks) provide evidence that prison staff exposure to SHS has significantly reduced. Following smokefree policy implementation, the majority of staff reported no longer being exposed to SHS at work. CONCLUSIONS: To our knowledge, this is the first comprehensive international study to objectively measure SHS levels before, during, and after implementation of a smokefree policy across a country's prison system. The findings confirm that such a policy change can be successfully implemented to eliminate occupational exposures to SHS. The results are highly relevant for other jurisdictions considering changes to prison smoking legislation. SN - 2398-7316 UR - https://www.unboundmedicine.com/medline/citation/32756912/From_Smoking_Permitted_to_Smokefree_Prisons:_A_3_Year_Evaluation_of_the_Changes_in_Occupational_Exposure_to_Second_Hand_Smoke_Across_a_National_Prison_System_ DB - PRIME DP - Unbound Medicine ER -