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What determines levels of passive smoking in children with asthma?
L Irvine1, I K Crombie, R A Clark
1Department of Child Health, Ninewells Hospital, Dundee, UK.
Insights
Children exposed to parental smoking face high environmental tobacco smoke levels. Reducing parental smoking in the home is crucial for improving children's asthma health and lowering cotinine levels.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Health
- Pediatrics
- Public Health
Background:
- Children with asthma are highly vulnerable to passive smoking.
- High levels of environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) exposure are common in children with smoking parents.
- Baseline data from a randomized controlled trial investigating ETS reduction in asthmatic children.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess ETS exposure in asthmatic children.
- To identify factors influencing ETS exposure.
- To determine the potential for reducing ETS exposure.
Main Methods:
- Surveyed 501 families with asthmatic children (aged 2-12 years).
- Assessed factors influencing passive smoking through parent interviews.
- Measured cotinine levels in children's saliva via gas liquid chromatography.
Main Results:
- Child cotinine levels correlated with child's age, number of smoking parents, non-parental smoker contact, in-room smoking frequency, and home crowding.
- Parental cotinine, home smoking volume, and garden presence independently affected child cotinine levels.
- Proximity to smoking parents significantly impacts children's ETS exposure.
Conclusions:
- Many children experience significant ETS exposure, primarily due to parental smoking proximity.
- Parents modifying smoking habits at home can significantly benefit their child's health.
- Targeted interventions can reduce ETS exposure and improve health outcomes for asthmatic children.
Background:
Children with parents who smoke are often exposed to high levels of environmental tobacco smoke, and children with asthma are particularly susceptible to the detrimental effects of passive smoking. Data were collected from parents who smoke and from their asthmatic children. The families are currently taking part in a randomised controlled trial to test an intervention designed to reduce passive smoking in children with asthma. This paper reports on the baseline data. Questionnaire data and cotinine levels were compared in an attempt to assess exposure and to identify factors which influence exposure of the children. The aim of the study was to identify the scope for a reduction in passive smoking by these children.
Methods:
A sample of 501 families with an asthmatic child aged 2-12 years was obtained. Factors influencing passive smoking were assessed by interviewing parents. Cotinine levels were measured from saliva samples using gas liquid chromatography with nitrogen phosphorous detection.
Results:
Cotinine levels in children were strongly associated with the age of the child, the number of parents who smoked, contact with other smokers, the frequency of smoking in the same room as the child, and crowding within the home. Parental cotinine levels, the amount smoked in the home, and whether the home had a garden also exerted an independent effect on cotinine levels in the children.
Conclusions:
Many children are exposed to high levels of environmental tobacco smoke and their cotinine levels are heavily dependent upon proximity to the parent who smokes. Parents who smoke have a unique opportunity to benefit their child's health by modifying their smoking habits within the home.