Pediatrician Interventions and Thirdhand Smoke Beliefs of Parents

Abstract

Background Thirdhand smoke is residual tobacco smoke contamination that remains after a cigarette is extinguished. A national study indicates that adults’ belief that thirdhand smoke (THS) harms children is associated with strict household no-smoking policies. The question of whether pediatricians can influence THS beliefs has not been assessed. Purpose To identify prevalence of THS beliefs and associated factors among smoking parents, and the association of pediatrician intervention on parent belief that THS is harmful to their children. Methods Exit interview data were collected from 1980 parents following a pediatric office visit. Parents' level of agreement or disagreement that THS can harm the health of babies and children was assessed. A multivariate logistic regression model was constructed to identify whether pediatricians’ actions were independently associated with parental belief that THS can harm the health of babies and children. Data were collected from 2009 to 2011, and analyses were conducted in 2012. Results Ninety-one percent of parents believed that THS can harm the health of babies and children. Fathers (AOR 0.59 [95% CI=0.42, 0.84]) and parents who smoked >10 cigarettes per day (AOR 0.63 [95% CI=0.45, 0.88]) were less likely to agree with this statement. In contrast, parents who received advice (AOR 1.60 [95% CI=1.04, 2.45]) to have a smokefree home or car or to quit smoking and parents who were referred (AOR 3.42 [95% CI=1.18, 9.94]) to a “quitline” or other cessation program were more likely to agree that THS can be harmful. Conclusions Fathers and heavier smokers were less likely to believe that THS is harmful. However, pediatricians’ actions to encourage smoking parents to quit or adopt smokefree home or car policies were associated with parental beliefs that THS harms children.

Exposure to nitrosamines in thirdhand tobacco smoke increases cancer risk in non-smokers

“…Although there is a general public awareness about the harms of SHS, the general public are more sceptical about THS, with a study in 2009 finding that 62.5% of non-smokers and 43% of smokers agreed that THS harms children (Winickoff et al, 2009). A study of parents' attitudes found that fathers and heavy smokers (N10 cigarettes per day) were less likely to believe that THS was harmful (Drehmer et al, 2012). The specific role of THS in tobacco-related illnesses has been questioned by the public health community (Matt et al, 2011a), however, a recent study demonstrated that chemical species associated with THS are genotoxic in human cell lines (Hang et al, 2013).…”

Environmental Damages of Tobacco: Only Human Being Damage?

“…Sigara içen anne ve babalar üzerinde yapılan bir ça-lışmada ailelerin bu etkiyi önemsemedikleri ve hatta inanmadıkları gözlenmiştir (22) . Bu nedenle gerek yöneticilerin, gerek sağlık çalışanlarının bu noktaya dikkatini çekmek için toplumsal çalışmalar yapılmalı-dır.…”

Overcoming Challenges in the Changing Environment of Practice-Based Research

“…10,[12][13][14][15][16][17] In brief, all parents of children making any type of visit were approached immediately after the visit by an RA and asked to be interviewed. Those who spoke English, had smoked a cigarette (even a puff) within the past 7 days, were aged 18 years or older, and would have a contact number to be reached over the next year were eligible for enrollment.…”