Powerful studies just released confirm there is an association between secondhand smoke and those flight attendants that flew before smoking was banned, according to the Flight Attendant Medical Research Institute (FAMRI) at the University of California, San Francisco. Even though the study reveals respiratory illness with flight crew is evident, continued research in this area is needed.
Between 2006-2010, flight attendants were recruited via brochures, internet and newspapers to participate in questionnaires as well as complete pulminary testing to compare secondhand smoke exposure with flight crew before and after the smoking ban. Congress passed a ban on smoking law in October 1989. Prior to the bans, tests showed that flight attendants were exposed to secondhand smoke (SHS) approximately 14 times more than the average person.
Questionnaires included how long the flight attendant worked in the job, whether or not they smoked, medical history and if they worked full or part time. 362 flight attendants participated in the FAMRI study. 328 out of the 362 flight attendants reported sinus problems, throat and eye irritations and upper respiratory issues. For those flight attendants who worked in the pre-ban era, smoky cabins contributed to middle ear infections, sinusitis and even asthma. The results confirm higher rates of respiratory issues, especially upper respiratory, but other considerations must be researched. The cabin air could be a factor along with volatile fuel by-products, pesticides, ozone and airborne allergens.
The studies looked at short term symptoms related to SHS exposure, but suggests long term effects could be present, as well. Also, hypertension was significantly related to those with the higher levels of SHS.
The study also showed other observations about the overall health of flight attendants.
Flight attendants are generally healthier than the common population, in accordance with most illnesses. But flight attendants exposed to SHS have an increased prevalence of disease. This suggests that exposures related to being a flight attendant may promote the development of of respiratory illness, according to the study.
While the research provides strong evidence, more trials need to be completed.
Sources:
FAMRI, UCSF, Alexis Beatty, Thaddeus J. Haight, Rita F. Redberg
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