Study Shows Smoking Outside Still Causes Second-Hand Smoke Exposure To Children

"We wondered if parents who said they were not smoking in the home or near their child had an impact on the child's ETS exposure," Dr. Groner said. "Our study verified that exposure still occurs. As healthcare professionals, we still have very serious concerns over the fact that these children are being exposed to ETS. The youngest children are the most vulnerable. We found allowing visitors to smoke in the house also increases the risk."

Cotinine, a nicotine metabolite, is deposited in hair and has been used in past studies to quantify ETS exposure. In addition to analyzing the HC levels of both mothers and children, researchers asked mothers of the study participants to complete a questionnaire regarding their child's exposure to ETS, location where smoking occurs and knowledge and beliefs about smoking and pediatric health.

"We analyzed hair HC levels because they reveal exposure to ETS over time (months) versus saliva or urine, which shows exposure in the past few days," Dr. Groner said.

The HC levels of more than 290 mother/child pairs were analyzed. Among the children in the study, nearly 40 percent of their primary caregivers were self-reported smokers. Only 20 percent of smokers never smoked in the home. Children exposed to ETS in the home had higher HC levels as compared to children whose parents smoked outside of the home. Unexposed children had the lowest HC levels. Additionally, children's HC levels were lower when parents believed that their smoking could harm their children.

"We found that parents who know smoking is bad for their children choose not to smoke around them," Dr. Groner said. "This attitude correlates to the child's HC levels being lower. Many parents may know of diseases associated with smoking, but knowledge is not enough; attitudes are more important. Believing that exposing their children to ETS is unhealthy directly influences their behavior. Intervention to change attitudes among parents is key to reducing children's ETS exposure."

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