Use of Science in Secondhand Smoke and Other Policymaking

This project focuses on the role of evidence in the development of smoking restriction legislation and ergonomic regulations. The major goals of this project are to investigate the effects of secondhand tobacco smoke on progression of pulmonary disease and development of cardiovascular disease in those with COPD; to use human exposure chamber to assess SHS effects on sinusitus and asthma; to develop novel markers for SHS exposure assessment; to explore ways to protect vulnerable populations from SHS by implementing and evaluating a critical skills intervention to increase the use of methodologically sound research by state policy makers; to analyze the costs of exposure to SHS using national survey data and econometric models to quantify the economic burden of health care costs, lost productivity and premature mortality; to continue studies of prevalence and nature of cardiopulmonary function abnormalities in flight attendants exposed to SHS in a clinic for the diagnosis and treatment of SHS related diseases; and to examine mechanisms by which race, genetic factors and SHS interact to cause the severe asthma that is seen in some minority populations.