Top

BMC Public Health

Published in:

Open Access 01-12-2021 | Smoking and Nicotine Detoxification | Research

Characterization of urinary cotinine concentrations among non-smoking adults in smoking and smoke-free homes in the Korean national environmental health survey (KoNEHS) cycle 3 (2015–2017)

Authors: Jeonghoon Kim, In-Keun Shim, Soo Ran Won, Jungmin Ryu, Jongchun Lee, Hyen-Mi Chung

Published in: BMC Public Health | Issue 1/2021

Abstract

Background

Although many indoor public places have implemented smoke-free regulations, private homes have remained sources of tobacco smoke pollutants. This study examined differences in urinary cotinine concentrations in the Korean non-smoking adult population between living in smoking and smoke-free homes, and the relationship of urinary cotinine concentrations with socio-demographic factors in smoke-free homes.

Methods

Samples from 2575 non-smoking adults (≥19 years old) in the Korean National Environmental Health Survey cycle 3 (2015–2017), a representative Korean study, were used. Smoking and smoke-free homes were defined based on whether there were smokers at homes. Weighted linear regression models were used to determine urinary cotinine concentrations and identify factors associated with urinary cotinine.

Results

The geometric mean of urinary cotinine concentrations for non-smoking adults living in smoking homes was 2.1 μg/L (95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.8–2.4), which was significantly higher than the mean of 1.3 μg/L (95% CI = 1.2–1.4) for those living in smoke-free homes. Urinary cotinine concentrations were different significantly by home smoking status in most socio-demographic subgroups. Data from smoke-free home showed urinary cotinine concentration in adults was significantly higher in those who lived in homes with ventilation duration < 30 min/day, those who spent more time indoors at home, those who spent less time outdoors, and those who worked in non-manual or manual occupations.

Conclusions

The urinary cotinine concentration in Korean non-smoking adults living in smoking homes was higher than that in adults living in smoke-free homes. Even in smoke-free homes, home-related factors, such as ventilation duration and time spent indoors, were associated with urinary cotinine concentration. Further study is warranted to examine potential sources of tobacco smoke pollution in smoke-free homes.

US Department of Health and Human Services. The health consequences of smoking—50 years of progress: a report of the Surgeon General, 2014. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/n/surgsmoke50/pdf. Accessed 12 Septempber 2020.

US Department of Health and Human Services. The Health Consequences of Involuntary Exposure to Tobacco Smoke: A Report of the Surgeon General, 2006. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/n/rptsmokeexp/pdf. Accessed 12 Septempber 2020.

Max W, Sung H-Y, Shi Y. Deaths from secondhand smoke exposure in the United States: economic implications. Am J Public Health. 2012;102(11):2173–80. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2012.300805.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral

Öberg M, Jaakkola MS, Woodward A, Peruga A, Prüss-Ustün A. Worldwide burden of disease from exposure to second-hand smoke: a retrospective analysis of data from 192 countries. Lancet. 2011;377(9760):139–46. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(10)61388-8.CrossRefPubMed

Korean Ministry of Government Legislation. Enforcement Regulation of National Health Promotion Act, 2012. http://www.law.go.kr/LSW//lsSc.do?section=&menuId=1&subMenuId=15&tabMenuId=81&eventGubun=060101&query=%EA%B5%AD%EB%AF%BC%EA%B1%B4%EA%B0%95%EC%A6%9D%EC%A7%84%EB%B2%95#undefined. Accessed 12 September 2020.

Moon SY, Kim TW, Kim YJ, Kim Y, Kim SY, Kang D. Public facility utility and third-hand smoking exposure without first and second-hand smoking according to urinary cotinine level. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2019;16(5). https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16050855.

Matsumoto A, Matsumoto A, Ichiba M, Payton NM, Oishi H, Hara M. Simultaneous measurement of urinary total nicotine and cotinine as biomarkers of active and passive smoking among Japanese individuals. Environ Health Prev Med. 2013;18(3):244–50. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12199-012-0307-5.CrossRefPubMed

Kim J, Lee K, Kim K. Factors associated with secondhand smoke incursion into the homes of non-smoking residents in a multi-unit housing complex: a cross-sectional study in Seoul, Korea. BMC Public Health. 2017;17(1):739. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-017-4774-x.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral

King BA, Travers MJ, Cummings KM, Mahoney MC, Hyland AJ. Secondhand smoke transfer in multiunit housing. Nicotine Tob Res. 2010;12(11):1133–41. https://doi.org/10.1093/ntr/ntq162.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral

10.

Matt GE, Quintana PJ, Destaillats H, Gundel LA, Sleiman M, Singer BC, et al. Thirdhand tobacco smoke: emerging evidence and arguments for a multidisciplinary research agenda. Environ Health Perspect. 2011;119(9):1218–26. https://doi.org/10.1289/ehp.1103500.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral

11.

Matt GE, Quintana PJ, Zakarian JM, Fortmann AL, Chatfield DA, Hoh E, et al. When smokers move out and non-smokers move in: residential thirdhand smoke pollution and exposure. Tob Control. 2011;20:1–3.CrossRef

12.

Hood NE, Ferketich AK, Klein EG, Pirie P, Wewers ME. Associations between self-reported in-home smoking behaviours and surface nicotine concentrations in multiunit subsidised housing. Tob Control. 2014;23(1):27–32. https://doi.org/10.1136/tobaccocontrol-2012-050666.CrossRefPubMed

13.

Kim J, Lee K. Characterization of urinary cotinine in non-smoking residents in smoke-free homes in the Korean National Environmental Health Survey (KoNEHS). BMC Public Health. 2016;16(1):538. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-016-3212-9.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral

14.

Jeon HL, Hong S, Joo Y, Kwon YM, Jung SK, Lee C, et al. Urinary exposure levels of cotinine and influence factors among non-smokers in Korean adults-Korean National Environmental Health Survey (2009-2017). J Environ Health Sci. 2020;46:214–23.

15.

Benowitz NL. Cotinine as a biomarker of environmental tobacco smoke exposure. Epidemiol Rev. 1996;18(2):188–204. https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordjournals.epirev.a017925.CrossRefPubMed

16.

World Health Organization. Biological monitoring of chemical exposure in the workplace, 1996. http://whqlibdoc.who.int/hq/1996/WHO_HPR_OCH_96.1.pdf. Accessed 12 September 2019.

17.

Park JH, Lee CK, Kim KH, Son BC, Kim JH, Suh CH, et al. Decrease in the urine cotinine concentrations of Korean non-smokers between 2009 and 2011 following implementation of stricter smoking regulations. Int J Hyg Environ Health. 2016;219(1):123–8. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijheh.2015.10.001.CrossRefPubMed

18.

Kim J, Lee K. Changes in urinary cotinine concentrations in non-smoking adults from the Korean National Environmental Health Survey (KoNEHS) II (2012-2014) after implementation of partial smoke-free regulations. Int J Hyg Environ Health. 2020;224:113419. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijheh.2019.113419.CrossRefPubMed

19.

The National Institute of Environmental Research. Biological Sample Management Guidelines on The Third Stage Korean National Environmental Health Survey, 2019.

20.

National Institute of Environmental Research Research. Manual for analysis of environmental hazardous substances in biological samples in the third Korean National Environmental Health Survey - organic compound, 2019.

21.

Barr DB, Wilder LC, Caudill SP, Gonzalez AJ, Needham LL, Pirkle JL. Urinary creatinine concentrations in the US population: implications for urinary biologic monitoring measurements. Environ Health Perspect. 2005;113(2):192–200. https://doi.org/10.1289/ehp.7337.CrossRefPubMed

22.

Jain RB. Concentrations of urine cotinine and hydroxycotinine among US children, adolescents, and adults: data from NHANES 2013–2014. Biomarkers. 2019;24(8):757–63. https://doi.org/10.1080/1354750X.2019.1684563.CrossRefPubMed

23.

Statistics Canada. Tobacco use of Canadians, 2012 and 2013. https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/82-625-x/2015001/article/14210-eng.pdf. Accessed 12 Septempber 2020.

24.

Kim H, Lim Y, Lee S, Park S, Kim C, Hong C, et al. Relationship between environmental tobacco smoke and urinary cotinine levels in passive smokers at their residence. J Expo Sci Environ Epidemiol. 2004;14(S1):S65–70. https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.jea.7500360.CrossRef

25.

Thaqi A, Franke K, Merkel G, Wichmann H, Heinrich J. Biomarkers of exposure to passive smoking of school children: frequency and determinants. Indoor Air. 2005;15(5):302–10. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0668.2005.00361.x.CrossRefPubMed

26.

Korean Ministry of Government Legislation. National Health Promotion Act, 2011. http://www.law.go.kr/%EB%B2%95%EB%A0%B9/%EA%B5%AD%EB%AF%BC%EA%B1%B4%EA%B0%95%EC%A6%9D%EC%A7%84%EB%B2%95. Accessed 12 September 2020.

27.

Avila-Tang E, Al-Delaimy WK, Ashley DL, Benowitz N, Bernert JT, Kim S, et al. Assessing secondhand smoke using biological markers. Tob Control. 2013;22(3):164–71. https://doi.org/10.1136/tobaccocontrol-2011-050298.CrossRefPubMed

28.

Benowitz NL, Dains KM, Dempsey D, Herrera B, Yu L, Jacob P III. Urine nicotine metabolite concentrations in relation to plasma cotinine during low-level nicotine exposure. Nicotine Tob Res. 2009;11(8):954–60. https://doi.org/10.1093/ntr/ntp092.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral

Title: Characterization of urinary cotinine concentrations among non-smoking adults in smoking and smoke-free homes in the Korean national environmental health survey (KoNEHS) cycle 3 (2015–2017)
Authors: Jeonghoon Kim
In-Keun Shim
Soo Ran Won
Jungmin Ryu
Jongchun Lee
Hyen-Mi Chung
Publication date: 01-12-2021
Publisher: BioMed Central
Keywords: Smoking and Nicotine Detoxification
Environmental Medicine
Published in: BMC Public Health / Issue 1/2021
Electronic ISSN: 1471-2458
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-021-11265-y

At a glance: The STEP trials

Springer Medicine

Characterization of urinary cotinine concentrations among non-smoking adults in smoking and smoke-free homes in the Korean national environmental health survey (KoNEHS) cycle 3 (2015–2017)

Abstract

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusions

At a glance: The STEP trials

Springer Medicine

Abstract

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Please log in to get access to this content

Other articles of this Issue 1/2021

Peer victimisation during adolescence and its impact on wellbeing in adulthood: a prospective cohort study

Understanding disadvantaged adolescents’ perception of health literacy through a systematic development of peer vignettes

Reproductive intentions and corresponding use of safer conception methods and contraception among Ugandan HIV clients in serodiscordant relationships

Behavioral impact of national health campaigns on healthy lifestyle practices among young adults in Singapore: a cross-sectional study

Social media use and social connectedness among adolescents in the United Kingdom: a qualitative exploration of displacement and stimulation

Are informal family caregivers stigmatized differently based on their gender or employment status?: a German study on public stigma towards informal long-term caregivers of older individuals