In recent years, medical evidence has pointed to the harmful physical effects of second-hand smoke. Now, a new study adds to evidence that non-smokers who live or work around smokers can experience psychological harm as well.
近几年来，医学证据显示了二手烟对身体的害处。现在，新的研究又证明，在吸烟者环绕的环境里生活或工作的人，可能还会遭受心理上的伤害。
Dr. Mark Hamer of University College London says previous research found that smokers have a higher rate of mental illness, specifically depression.
英国伦敦大学学院的马克·哈默医生说，早先的研究发现，吸烟者患精神疾病的比率较高，特别是抑郁症。
"The problem with that body of research is that it's difficult to interpret because obviously people with existing mental health problems use cigarettes to self-medicate," he says.
“那一类研究的问题在于很难解释这个现象。因为原本心理健康有问题的人，显然会靠吸烟来寻求自我抒解。”
In this study, Hamer and his colleagues combined measurements of tobacco exposure with interviews focused on mental health issues. They found that nonsmokers exposed to tobacco smoke were more likely to experience psychiatric distress, and that the mental health issues increased along with the tobacco exposure.
在新的研究中，哈默医生和同事们综合考量研究对象接触香烟烟雾的程度和心理健康问题。他们发现，不吸烟的人处在吸烟环境之中，更可能有心理上的压抑感。而越多地处于吸烟环境中，心理压抑感越严重。
"We found that people with high exposure to second hand smoke had increased levels of depression and anxiety," says Hamer.
哈默医生说：“我们发现，高度曝露于二手烟之中的人，抑郁和焦虑程度会增加。”
They also found that people exposed to second-hand smoke - like smokers - were more likely to be admitted to a hospital for a psychiatric illness than people without the exposure to tobacco smoke.
哈默医生说，他们还发现，曝露于二手烟之中的人，和吸烟者一样，比不接触二手烟的人，更有可能因为精神问题而进医院。
To accurately assess the level of second-hand smoke exposure, researchers tested for cotinine, which is produced when nicotine is metabolized. But they also asked the people in the study where they were exposed to tobacco smoke. Perhaps surprisingly, says Hamer, the answer wasn't at work, restaurants, or pubs.
为了精确评估接触二手烟的程度，研究人员对可铁宁进行检测。可铁宁是尼古丁经过新陈代谢之后产生的。研究人员同时也询问研究对象，他们是在什么地方接触到二手烟的。答案出人意料，既不是工作场所，也不是餐馆或酒吧。
"The people that are at the highest level of passive smoke are actually the ones reporting exposure in their own homes. So in other words, if you live with a smoker, you really are at very high risk of demonstrating high levels of second-hand smoke exposure."
哈默医生说：“那些被动吸烟最多的人说，他们实际上是在自己家中接触二手烟的。”
Dr. Mark Hamer's study on the psychological impact of second-hand tobacco smoke appears in the Archives of General Psychiatry, a journal published by the American Medical Association.
伦敦大学学院哈默医生的研究报告，刊登在美国医学协会的期刊中。 |