Exposure to environmental tobacco smoke in the nonsmoking population of Cambodia

Abstract

Objective: To estimate the extent of environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) exposure among nonsmokers in the adult population of Cambodia.

Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted on a nationally representative sample of 13,988 Cambodian adults in 2005. Information on smoking and exposure to ETS was obtained by trained interviewers using a standard questionnaire.

Results: Overall, 37.4% of the 10,263 nonsmoking responders, or an estimated 1,629,700 nonsmoking Cambodians, were exposed to ETS. One third of pregnant women (31.4%) were exposed to ETS at home. In both unadjusted and adjusted models, men were less likely to be exposed to ETS at home (OR=0.34; 95% CI=0.29-0.41) and more likely to be exposed to ETS at work and in public places (OR=3.08; 95% CI=2.14-4.43 and OR=2.17; 95% CI=1.82-2.59, respectively). Education was inversely related to ETS exposure at home (OR=0.51; 95% CI=0.27-0.96 for 10 years of education vs 5 years or less). Legislators, senior officials, and managers were less likely to be exposed to ETS at home than professionals (OR=0.13; 95% CI=0.04-0.46), but more likely to be exposed at work or in public places. Rural residence was associated with higher ETS exposure in the home (OR=2.52; 95% CI=1.71-3.71) and lower ETS exposure at work (OR=0.42; 95% CI=0.24-0.76) compared to urban residence.

Conclusions: The high prevalence of ETS exposure among adult Cambodians indicates an urgent need for specific measures such as public awareness campaigns, policies, and regulations to protect nonsmokers in Cambodia.