Impacto de la Ley 28/2005 de medidas sanitarias frente al tabaquismo en la prevalencia de la exposición al humo ambiental del tabaco en Barcelona

objective: to assess the impact of the 28/2005 spanish smoking law on exposure to second-hand smoke (shs) in barcelona. methods: we performed a pre-post evaluation study. two cross-sectional surveys were compared. data were obtained from the barcelona health surveys of 2000 and 2006. the prevalence of shs exposure among non-smoking adults was analyzed by setting (home, workplace and leisure time) and sociodemographic variables. results: shs exposure in non-smokers significantly decreased between 2000 and 2006 (p <0.01). odds ratios adjusted by sex, age and social class were 0.7 (95% ci: 0.6-0.8) for home and 0.2 (95% ci: 0.2-0.3) for workplace exposure in 2006 compared with 2000. in both settings, the decrease in exposure was greater in the higher social classes. after the implementation of the law, almost 50% of the population remained exposed to shs during leisure time, younger people being the most exposed (83.5%). conclusion: after the implementation of the law, the prevalence of shs exposure in non-smokers in barcelona decreased significantly in workplaces and in the home. nevertheless, nearly half of the population remained exposed to shs during leisure time.