Home environmental tobacco smoke exposure in Canadian children

Children living with a smoker experience increased environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) exposure, even when the smoker refrains from smoking inside the house, compared to children not living with a smoker. Given the risks of ETS in children, it was hypothesized that households with children are less likely than those without children to experience home ETS exposure.

Cross-sectional analysis of the Canadian Community Health Survey 2009-2010 for the association between children aged <12 years in the household and home ETS exposure, using logistic regression and considering household education and income as confounders or effect modifiers. A subgroup analysis was conducted comparing younger child households (at least one child aged <6 years) to older child households (only children aged 6-11 years).

Of 66 631 households included, home ETS exposure occurred in 25% of households without children and 22% of households with children. Households with children were less likely than those without children to experience ETS exposure (OR 0.83, 95%CI 0.80-0.87). Effect modification by education and income was observed. No difference was observed in ETS exposure between older child and younger child households (OR 0.98, 95%CI 0.91-1.05).

Households with children are marginally less likely than households without children to experience home ETS exposure.