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Increased incidence of asthma in children of smoking mothers
F D Martinez1, M Cline, B Burrows
1Respiratory Sciences Center, University of Arizona College of Medicine, Tucson.
Insights
Maternal smoking significantly increases asthma risk and reduces lung function in children from lower socioeconomic backgrounds. This highlights the critical impact of parental smoking on child respiratory health.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Health
- Pediatrics
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Childhood asthma prevalence is increasing.
- Parental smoking is a known environmental risk factor for respiratory diseases.
- Socioeconomic status may influence exposure and susceptibility.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between maternal smoking and asthma development in children.
- To examine the impact of maternal smoking on children's lung function.
- To explore the role of maternal education as a moderator of these effects.
Main Methods:
- Longitudinal study of over 700 children enrolled before age 5.
- Assessed asthma development and lung function (maximal midexpiratory flow) before age 12.
- Analyzed data stratified by maternal education level and smoking quantity.
Main Results:
- Children of mothers with ≤12 years of education smoking ≥10 cigarettes/day had 2.5x higher asthma risk.
- These children also exhibited 15.7% lower maximal midexpiratory flow.
- No significant association was found for children of mothers with >12 years of education.
Conclusions:
- Maternal smoking poses a substantial risk for asthma and impaired lung function in children from lower socioeconomic backgrounds.
- Targeted interventions for smoking cessation in less educated mothers are crucial.
- Increased smoking prevalence among less educated women may contribute to rising childhood asthma rates.
Abstract:
The relationship between parental smoking and both subsequent development of asthma and subsequent lung function (before age 12) was studied in more than 700 children enrolled before age 5. Children of mothers with 12 or fewer years of education and who smoked 10 or more cigarettes per day were 2.5 times more likely (95% confidence interval 1.42 to 4.59; P = .0018) to develop asthma and had 15.7% lower maximal midexpiratory flow (P less than .001) than children of mothers with the same education level who did not smoke or smoked fewer than 10 cigarettes per day. These relationships were independent of self-reported respiratory symptoms in parents. There was no association between maternal smoking and subsequent incidence of asthma or maximal midexpiratory flow among children of mothers with more than 12 years of education. It is concluded that children of lower socioeconomic status may be at considerable risk of developing asthma if their mothers smoke 10 or more cigarettes per day. It is speculated that recently reported increases in prevalence of childhood asthma may be in part related to the increased prevalence of smoking among less educated women.