Correlates of Household Smoking Bans in Low‐Income Families of Children With and Without Asthma

Abstract

Exposure to secondhand smoke (SHS) harms all children's health, especially children with asthma. Yet, children with asthma are as likely to live with smokers as healthy children. Household smoking bans are being advocated to reduce children's harm from SHS. To measure the effect of household smoking bans on child SHS exposure and to examine correlates of strict smoking bans in a low-income, diverse sample, 91 children with asthma were matched to 91 healthy children. All had at least one smoker living in their homes. Nicotine dosimeters, child cotinine assays, and maternal reports quantified child SHS exposures. Maternal reports of household smoking rules, behaviors, and beliefs, and other family characteristics were also gathered. The presence of a strict household smoking ban vastly reduced children's SHS exposures and was associated with fewer cigarettes smoked by the mother and by other family members, the belief that SHS was a personal health risk, having children with asthma, and living in a single-family home. Many children are exposed to high levels of SHS at home. Strict household smoking bans greatly decrease, but do not eliminate children's SHS exposure. Even in disadvantaged families, mutable factors were associated with strict smoking bans. Increased dissemination and use of established public health strategies are needed to reduce children's SHS exposures.

Psychological stress and family functioning in mothers of children with allergic rhinitis

“…In concordance with this conclusion, the result of Family Assessment Device scores in the mother of children with AR showed similarity to normal population in terms of conscious emotional supression or control. For considering family relationship, two parental associated parameters, smoking in the house and being a employer were the evaluated for its influence on the STAI scores [24]. Any object that harms the child will lead to distress in the mother and thus increase the stress load of the mother.…”

Recent Contributions of Air- and Biomarkers to the Control of Secondhand Smoke (SHS): A Review

“…Despite lower reported exposure to SHS at home (14.9 vs. 18.7 CPD), with lower levels of PM 5 in houses, the levels of serum and hair cotinine were significantly higher among African-American children than among white children (1.41 ng/mL vs. 0.97 and 0.25 vs. 0.07 ng/mg, respectively), a difference only explained partially by housing volume [127]. The presence of a strict household smoking ban (confirmed by child cotinine assays) vastly reduced SHS exposure in 91 children with asthma matched with 91 healthy children [128]. …”

Can a Minimal Intervention Reduce Secondhand Smoke Exposure Among Children with Asthma from Low Income Minority Families? Results of a Randomized Trial

“…However, although no intervention/control group differences were found, our study suggests that it is possible to implement household restrictions that were not previously in place, including among low-income and minority families, since most households reported implementing full smoking bans by the end of the study (136 of the original 242 at baseline, 56%). This is significant in light of the implications of such restrictions for reduced exposure [43] and the association of bans with smoking cessation and decreased cigarette consumption. Our research also points to the need for further study of the process by which change occurs, i.e., what changes families believe they are making and actually achieve.…”