Prevalence and trends of smoking in South African platinum miners
Date
2008-05-12T08:57:45Z
Authors
Cheyip, Mireille Yimnga Ngantcha Chamba Kapseh
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Abstract
ABSTRACT
Background: In association with other occupational exposures like silica dust
and radon, cigarette smoking impacts on the health of miners, especially with
regard to the risk of developing COPD, PTB and lung cancer. These
compensable diseases place a great burden on both miners and mines. The
prevalence of smoking among black miners in South Africa is unknown and data
for white miners are not recent.
Objectives: To determine the prevalence of smoking and smoking trends in
miners in a platinum mining company from 1998 to 2002 and to describe some
important factors associated with their smoking habits.
Methods: This was a cross-sectional study using medical surveillance data
about employees of a platinum mining company from 1998 to 2002.
Results: Over 80000 repeated records of over 25000 miners were studied over
the five-year period. The prevalence of smokers was 44.4%. Miners were less
likely to smoke in 2002 than in 1998 (OR 0.23, CI 0.21 â 0.25). Over this period,
smoking prevalence dropped from 43.3% to 31.3%. The decrease was evident in
most socio-demographic groups. There was also a decrease in cigarette
consumption over time (p<0.001). Multivariable analysis showed that whites were
more likely to âalwaysâ and/or âeverâ smoke than blacks (adjusted OR=2.4, CI
1.79 â 3.20 and OR 2.5, CI 1.98 â 3.27, respectively).
Conclusion: Even though there has been a decline in smoking prevalence since
1998, the relatively higher prevalence in platinum miners compared to that of the
general population, and the additional effect of occupational exposures, are still a
public health concern. There is need to establish smoking cessation and
prevention programmes and to continue collecting detailed smoking information
during annual surveillance programmes that could be used to monitor the
effectiveness of such programmes.
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Keywords
smoking, platinum miners