Open AccessPassive smoking in children: facts and public health implications
Author(s) -
Walid El Ansari
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
eastern mediterranean health journal/eastern mediterranean health journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.442
H-Index - 47
eISSN - 1687-1634
pISSN - 1020-3397
DOI - 10.26719/2002.8.1.74
Subject(s) - cotinine , passive smoking , medicine , tobacco smoke , environmental health , smoke , public health , population , tobacco control , nicotine , pediatrics , demography , psychiatry , nursing , physics , sociology , meteorology
This study measured cotinine/creatinine ratios among 60 children in Alexandria, Egypt whose parent [s] smoked and 20 control children whose parents reported not smoking to show that passive smoker children were more exposed than controls. Among the passive smoker children, girls were more exposed, 35% of the population burden of cotinine was among those aged 0-2 years, and exposure significantly decreased with the child’s age. Passive smoker children whose fathers smoked “lighter” cigarettes had higher exposure levels than those whose fathers smoked regular brands. Educational programmes should increase awareness of the ill-effects of environmental tobacco smoke, and health professionals should advise parents who smoke on quitting smoking rather than switching to a “lighter” cigarette brand.