Quantifying health aspects of passive smoking in British children aged 5-11 years.
OBJECTIVE
The aim was to estimate the dose-response relations of height and respiratory symptoms to passive smoking in children aged 5-11 years.


METHODS
The study was an analysis of existing observational studies, comprising three samples: English representative; English inner city; Scottish representative.


METHODS
Primary schools (children aged 5-11 years).


METHODS
The study population included 5002 English children from the representative sample (69.1% of total eligible), 2903 English inner city children (42.0%), and 3319 representative Scottish children (75.6%).


RESULTS
No significant relation was found between child's height and total parental smoking in the home. Relative risk for persistent wheeze on exposure to 20 cigarettes per day was 1.35, compared to no exposure. Risk of at least one respiratory condition attributable to passive smoking reached 8.1% in white English inner city children.


CONCLUSIONS
The relation of child's height to passive smoking was not substantiated. The risk of respiratory conditions resulting from passive smoking, although small, is not negligible.
Chinn
S
S
Department of Public Health Medicine, United Medical School, London, United Kingdom.
Rona
R J
RJ
D001249:Asthma / Q000209:etiology; D001827:Body Height; D001991:Bronchitis / Q000209:etiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004739:England; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D012135:Respiratory Sounds / Q000209:etiology*; D012140:Respiratory Tract Diseases / Q000208:ethnology / Q000209:etiology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012606:Scotland; D012907:Smoking / Q000208:ethnology; D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution / Q000009:adverse effects*; D014505:Urban Population
D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution