Link found between passive smoking and poorer mental health

Second-hand smoke exposure is associated with psychological distress and risk of future psychiatric illness, according to new UCL research that suggests the harmful affects of passive smoking go beyond physical health. The new research, published today in the Archives of General Psychiatry , examined the associations between mental health and second hand smoke (SHS) exposure ? known as passive smoking ? by measuring the circulating biochemical marker cotinine, which is found in saliva and can be used to measure levels of exposure to tobacco smoke. The study found that SHS exposure is associated with psychological distress and risk of future psychiatric illness in healthy adults. A representative sample of 5,560 non-smoking adults and 2,689 smokers without history of mental illness were drawn from the 1998 and 2003 Scottish Health Surveys. A score greater than three on the 12-item General Health Questionnaire was employed as an indicator of psychological distress. Incident psychiatric hospital admissions over six years? follow-up were also recorded. Psychological distress was apparent in 14.5% of the sample.