JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

The consumption of tobacco is regarded as a significant contributing factor to several diseases. However, the impact of tobacco dust exposure (TDE) on tobacco workers has not been extensively investigated.

Objective:

This study introduces the design and implementation of the Tobacco Dust Cohort for Health Assessment and Risk Monitoring (T-CHARM), a prospective cohort study aimed at evaluating the health impacts of TDE.

Methods:

This prospective cohort study has and will recruit non-smoking tobacco industry women workers in the tobacco processing section and non-smoking nontobacco women workers living in the nearby area for the unexposed group, with a total of 400 expected participants. The impact of TDE on health, including metabolic syndrome parameters, complete blood count, cardiovascular, liver, renal and lung function, was evaluated in relation to urine cotinine levels. Air quality and chemical substances in the air and leaves were also analyzed. The data will be subsequently analyzed using appropriate statistical tools.

Results:

The T-CHARM approach's strengths lie in its detailed occupational and environmental factors, along with longitudinal health data from the corporate clinic or the district health center, as well as links to cancer and mortality registries and self-reported health. A total of 120 respondents participated up to August 2025. While another 80 respondents will be recruited, laboratory analysis is ongoing, and baseline results are expected by the end of 2025.

Conclusions:

The present phase focuses on baseline data collection for long-term follow-up. The cohort is designed for up to 20 years of monitoring, depending on sustained funding. T-CHARM offers a robust framework for understanding the chronic health effects of occupational TDE.