Assessing the impact of the new "Law regulating the sale, supply, consumption and advertising of tobacco products"

Title: Evaluation of the impact of the new "Law regulating the sale, supply, consumption and advertising of tobacco products" in the levels of exposure to environmental tobacco smoke: Subproject on cotinine levels in saliva in restaurant workers

Contractor: Health Research Fund (PI052072)

Duration: 01/2006-01/2008

Principal Investigator: Dr. Esteve Fernández

Description: To assess the impact of the new law on smoking in reducing exposure to environmental tobacco smoke in restaurant workers.
Specific objectives: 1) Determine the levels of perceived exposure to environmental tobacco smoke by non-smoking guest workers after the entry into force of the law (short, medium and long term). 2) Determine levels of exposure to environmental tobacco smoke by non-smoking workers cotinine concentration in saliva after the entry into force of the law (short, medium and long term. 3) Analyze the pattern of tobacco auto declared and cotinine levels in saliva of workers smoking (short, medium and long term). 4) Study the perceptions, attitudes and beliefs of workers (smokers and non smokers) on the consumption of active smoking, and involuntary exposure its effects on health after the entry into force of the law.
Methodology: A convenience sample of smokers and nonsmokers working in the restaurant in the 5 participating centers (n = 400 in total). In these subjects, and in three different moments of time: 1) must determine the consumption of active smoking, passive exposure and attitudes and beliefs of workers by interview questionnaire, and 2) to analyze the collected saliva cotinine by capillary gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry. The interviews and collection of saliva will be short (4 months), medium (16 m) and long (28 m) period after the entry into force of the law.