Abstract
Objectives: The purpose of this study was to determine the extent to which various
levels of restrictions on smoking in the home may be associated with children’s exposure
to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS).
Methods: The methodology consisted of a cross-sectional survey involving 249 children
with asthma aged 1 to 11 attending hospital outpatient clinics, with at least one
parent who smoked, linked to the child’s urinary cotinine to creatinine ratios (CCR).
Results: After adjustment for child’s age, mother’s smoking status, and total parental
daily cigarette consumption, a total ban was associated with significantly lower urinary
CCR levels (7.6 nmol/mmol) than bans with exceptions or limited smoking in the home.
Where exceptions to bans were made (14.9 nmol/mmol), children’s urinary CCR levels
were no different from homes in which smoking was allowed in rooms the child rarely
frequented (14.1 nmol/mmol). These two intermediate levels of restriction were in
turn associated with significantly lower CCR levels than unrestricted smoking in the
home (26.0 nmol/mmol).
Conclusions: Making exceptions to bans on smoking at home measurably undermines the
protective effect of a ban. However, making some exceptions to a ban and limiting
smoking to rooms where the child rarely goes may result in reduced exposure to ETS,
compared with unrestricted smoking.
Keywords
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© 2000 American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
