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Yvonne Yousey, RN, PhD, College of Health, Human Services, University of North Carolina, Charlotte, 9201 University City Blvd, Charlotte, NC 28223, 7046872948, ykyousey@uncc.edu
Reducing secondhand smoke exposure is one of the four priorities identified by the World Health Organization for global tobacco prevention and control. Young children are especially vulnerable to health effects of smoke exposure and receive most exposure from parental smoking practices in their home. Little information is available on how families maintain smoke free environments for children living within.
This descriptive study examined characteristics associated with smoking policies in households and validated smoking policies through measuring cotinine levels from urine samples of young children in the household. Surveys were administered to a cross sectional sample of English or Spanish-speaking subjects (n=225), 18 years and older, with children, age newborn through pre-school-age residing in the household. Data were collected on demographic factors, knowledge, attitudes, and health of children living in the household, smoking policies and smoking behaviors. The language in which the survey was completed and negative attitudes toward smoke exposure were predictive of smoking bans in households. The lack of smoking bans in households correlated positively with “positive cotinine exposure” (r=.472). Smoke exposure in households was significantly better explained by the inclusion of smoking bans in a model of smoking behaviors than by other measures.
Learning Objectives:
Keywords: Smoking, Child Health
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.