Behavioral, attitudinal, and psysiologic characteristics of smoking and nonsmoking asbestos-exposed shipyard workers

Journal Article · Wed Nov 30 23:00:00 EST 1983 · JOM, J. Occup. Med.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1097/00043764-198312000-00008· OSTI ID:6829774

Li, V C; Kim, Y J; Terry, P B; Cuthie, J C; Roter, D; Emmett, E A; Harvey, A; Permutt, S

The smoking characteristics of shipyard workers participating in an Asbestos Medical Surveillance Program (N=3991) were assessed. Sources of data were: 1) a self-assessment questionnaire on the smoking history and respiratory symptomatology of the 871 current smokers who participated in the smoking study, and 2) chest roentgenograms and pulmonary function test results and medical records for the entire population. The study population included 1711 current smokers, 988 former smokers and 1292 never smokers. The annual ''quit rate'' for former smokers had increased from less than 1% in 1961 to 4.2% in 1978. Of the 871 current smokers who participated in the smoking study, 19% had resumed smoking after having given up cigarettes for one year or longer. Men in the smoking study were reasonably well informed about the health consequences of smoking. While they perceived themselves to be susceptible to disease, and the disease to be serious, the benefits they saw in quitting were related more to economics and aesthetics than to health. When the results were age adjusted, no differences in rate of pulonary function abnormalities and chest film abnormalities were found betwen current smokers who voluntarily participated in the smoking study and those who did not. All pulmonary function testing abnormality and chest film abnormality rates were significantly lower for former smokers and never smokers.

• Research Organization: Johns Hopkins Univ., Baltimore, MD
• OSTI ID: 6829774
• Journal Information: JOM, J. Occup. Med.; (United States), Journal Name: JOM, J. Occup. Med.; (United States) Vol. 25:12; ISSN JJOMD
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
AEROSOLS
ASBESTOS
BEHAVIOR
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
BIOMEDICAL RADIOGRAPHY
BODY
CLEARANCE
COLLOIDS
DIAGNOSTIC TECHNIQUES
DISPERSIONS
EPIDEMIOLOGY
EXCRETION
HAZARDS
HEALTH HAZARDS
LUNG CLEARANCE
LUNGS
MEDICINE
NUCLEAR MEDICINE
ORGANS
PERSONNEL
PHYSIOLOGY
RADIOLOGY
RESIDUES
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM
SMOKES
SOLS
TOBACCO SMOKES