Factors associated with smoke‐free homes in NSW: results from the 1998 NSW Health Survey

Objective: To examine the socio‐demographic characteristics associated with smoke‐free homes (SFHs) in NSW and specify high‐risk groups with a low prevalence of household smoking restrictions.Methods: Data were drawn from the 1998 NSW Health Survey, a computer‐assisted telephone interview survey of 17,494 randomly selected respondents aged 16 years across NSW (response rate =70%). Logistic regression analyses, stratified by smoking status, were used.Results: Overall, 72% of adults reported having a SFH; 87% of never‐smokers, 81% of ex‐and 35% of current smokers. The highest percentages of SFHs were reported in households with young children (78%) and with older children (72%) or with adults only (72%). For smokers, SFHs were independently associated with the presence of young children (OR=3.8, 95% Cl 3.1–4.7) compared with those who lived alone, but the odds of living in a SFH were only slightly increased for smokers living with older children (aged 6–15) and for those living with adults only (OR=1.9, OR=1.8 respectively). Speaking a language other than English at home, having more than 10 years' education, and being <35 years old were independently and positively associated with SFH. Being employed in smoke‐free workplaces increased the likelihood of SFHs for both current and past smokers (OR=1.6, OR=1.2 respectively).Conclusion: Most NSW homes have restrictions on smoking inside, but more than half the households with children and at least one smoker adult are not smoke free.Implications: Interventions to shape parents' smoking behaviour around older children are warranted. Strategies need to address never‐smokers in communities with high prevalence of smoking and adults with lower levels of education. A continued commitment to workplace smoking bans is important as they may affect household smoking restrictions.