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Restrictions on smoking at home and urinary cotinine levels among children with asthma

M Wakefield1, D Banham, J Martin

  • 1Health Research and Policy Centers, University of Illinois at Chicago, Illinois 60607, USA. melaniew@uic.edu

American Journal of Preventive Medicine
|October 6, 2000
PubMed

Insights

Implementing a total ban on home smoking significantly reduces children's exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS). Even partial restrictions are better than no rules, but exceptions diminish protection against ETS.

Area of Science:

  • Environmental Health
  • Pediatric Pulmonology
  • Public Health Policy

Background:

  • Children with asthma are particularly vulnerable to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS).
  • Home smoking restrictions are a common strategy to reduce children's ETS exposure.
  • The effectiveness of varying levels of home smoking bans requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To assess the association between different home smoking restriction levels and children's ETS exposure.
  • To quantify children's exposure to ETS using urinary cotinine-to-creatinine ratios (CCR).

Main Methods:

  • Cross-sectional survey of 249 children (aged 1-11) with asthma and at least one smoking parent.
  • Measurement of urinary cotinine-to-creatinine ratios (CCR) as a biomarker for ETS exposure.
  • Statistical adjustment for child's age, mother's smoking status, and parental daily cigarette consumption.

Main Results:

  • A total smoking ban at home was associated with the lowest urinary CCR levels (7.6 nmol/mmol).
  • Partial bans with exceptions (14.9 nmol/mmol) or smoking limited to specific rooms (14.1 nmol/mmol) showed similar, higher CCR levels.
  • Unrestricted smoking in the home resulted in the highest CCR levels (26.0 nmol/mmol).

Conclusions:

  • Exceptions to home smoking bans significantly reduce their protective impact.
  • Even partial restrictions, like limiting smoking to certain rooms, can lower children's ETS exposure compared to unrestricted smoking.
Abstract

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