Prevalence of Portuguese Children Exposed to Secondhand Smoke at Home and in the Car

Abstract

Introduction: Children’s exposure to secondhand smoke is a cause of serious health problems and infant morbidity. This is the first nationally representative study conducted in Portugal to describe the prevalence of children exposed to secondhand smoke at home and in the car.Material and Methods: This is a descriptive cross-sectional study with a representative sample of 2396 Portuguese children aged 0 to 9 years old, stratified by age and administrative region NUTS II. Questionnaires were administered between January and September 2016.Results: Results showed that 6.1% of mothers and 11.2% of fathers reported smoking at home. It was found that 4.5% of mothers and 8.3% of fathers reported smoking in the car. Results also showed that 5.4% of children were double exposed to secondhand smoke at home and in the car. Children whose parents were smokers and had a lower level of education were more exposed to secondhand smoke at home.Discussion: Children’s exposure to secondhand smoke has been decreasing in Portugal. Parental smoking and a low educational level were risk factors for children’s exposure to secondhand smoke at home.Conclusion: The main source of children’s exposure to secondhand smoke is parental smoking. As such, it is crucial to implement effective measures to control parental smoking. It is necessary to promote smoking cessation among parents and to ban smoking inside the car.

Parental Perceptions and Behaviors about Children’s Exposure to Secondhand Smoke in Portugal

“…It would be useful to explore associations between parental risk perceptions and the prevalence of children exposed to SHS. It would also be relevant to analyze parental perceptions and behaviors according to parental gender, socioeconomic status or level of education, as parental smoking and a low educational level were found to be risk factors for children's exposure to SHS at home [7]. Smoke-free legislation in playgrounds was implemented in Portugal in 2018.…”

“…Understanding how parents perceive exposure to SHS can help health professionals and teachers to tailor the information provided to parents, as well as to correct parental misconceptions, to raise parental awareness of exposure in various circumstances, and to help parents better protect their children [12]. It would also be useful to analyze false myths and beliefs associated with SHS with parents [7]. Thus, health education is crucial to reduce children's exposure to tobacco smoke [21].…”

“…In Portugal, 6.1% of mothers and 11.2% of fathers smoked at home, and the children whose parents were smokers and with a lower level of education, were more exposed to SHS in this setting [7]. Parental smoking behavior at home is also an important predictor of children's tobacco consumption in the future [8,9].…”

“…In addition, evidence shows that the level of fine particulates (PM 2.5) inside the car when someone smokes is similar to the level of particulates found in a typical bar where smoking is allowed [10]. In Portugal, 4.5% of mothers and 8.3% of fathers reported smoking inside the car [7].…”

Letter to the Editor Regarding the Article: “Prevalence of Portuguese Children Exposed to Secondhand Smoke at Home and in the Car”

“…Caro Editor, Foi com grande interesse que lemos o artigo "Contraceção em Adolescentes: Conhecimentos e Práticas em Portugal", publicado no número de julho-agosto de 2019 da Acta Médica Portuguesa; este artigo é referente a um estudo que avalia o conhecimento de médicos de três especialidades distintas sobre aconselhamento contracetivo de adolescentes. 1 A atividade sexual entre adolescentes é muitas vezes iniciada sem existir um aconselhamento contracetivo e educação sexual adequados, podendo levar a gravidez indesejada e também ao surgimento de doenças sexualmente transmissíveis, tal como referido em diversos estudos. 2,3 Como internas de formação específica em Medicina Geral e Familiar, sentimos que os adolescentes são um grupo de intervenção prioritário, devendo o rumo da consulta ser adequado a esta faixa etária.…”