The impact of second-hand smoke on ear, nose, and throat diseases and head and neck cancers in Japan: a cross-sectional study using a questionnaire and secondary data from the national health and nutrition survey

• Published in: Acta oto-laryngologica Vol. 141; no. 11; pp. 1000 - 1004
• Main Authors: Tsuzuki, Nobuyoshi, Wasano, Koichiro, Kawasaki, Taiji, Minami, Shujiro, Kurita, Akihiro, Hashimoto, Yosuke, Sahara, Sosuke, Ogawa, Kaoru
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Taylor & Francis 02.11.2021
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Cross-Sectional Studies; facial palsy; Female; Head and Neck Neoplasms - epidemiology; Head and Neck Neoplasms - etiology; Humans; hypopharyngeal cancer; Japan - epidemiology; laryngeal cancer; Logistic Models; Male; Middle Aged; Nutrition Surveys; Otorhinolaryngologic Diseases - epidemiology; Otorhinolaryngologic Diseases - etiology; secondhand smoke; Smoking; Surveys and Questionnaires; Tobacco Smoke Pollution - adverse effects; Tobacco Smoke Pollution - statistics & numerical data; tonsillitis; Japan; facial palsy; laryngeal cancer; tonsillitis; secondhand smoke; hypopharyngeal cancer; Smoking
• ISSN: 0001-6489; 1651-2251; 1651-2251
• DOI: 10.1080/00016489.2021.1989486

The risk of head and neck cancers (HNCs) and ear, nose, and throat (ENT) diseases due to second-hand smoke (SHS) have not been fully assessed. To determine which ENT diseases or HNCs are associated with SHS. Data from a survey of a cross-sectional sample of ENT patients (n = 1228) on SHS exposure were compared to control-subject data (n = 6598) from a Japan National Health Survey. Multivariate logistic regression and estimated odds ratios (ORs) determined whether SHS-disease associations were related to exposure location and disease occurrence. SHS was significantly associated with acute tonsillitis (OR in workplaces, 2.24 [95% CI, 1.34-3.75]; OR in restaurants, 4.24 [95% CI, 2.50-7.19]; OR in leisure places, 4.72 [95% CI, 2.93-7.62]); recurrent tonsillitis (OR in restaurants, 4.24 [95% CI, 2.52-7.13]; OR in leisure places, 5.29 [95% CI, 3.31-8.46]); facial palsy (OR in home, 2.18 [95% CI, 1.25-3.81]; OR in leisure places, 3.41 [95% CI, 1.97-5.89]); hypopharyngeal cancer (OR in home, 2.51 [95% CI, 1.18-5.36]; OR in workplaces, 2.53 [95% CI, 1.24-5.15]); and laryngeal cancer (OR in home, 2.44 [95% CI, 1.04-5.68]; OR in leisure places, 2.25 [95% CI, 1.00-5.07]). SHS may contribute to HNCs and ENT diseases, suggesting that merely being in the presence of smokers could increase the risk of head and neck morbidities.