Smoking behaviour in young families. Do parents take practical measures to prevent passive smoking by the children?
OBJECTIVE
To investigate smoking behaviour in young families.


METHODS
Cross-sectional study.


METHODS
Mother and child health centres in Oslo, Norway.


METHODS
The families of 1,046 children attending the health centres for 6-weeks-, 2- or 4- year well child visits.


METHODS
Daily smoking, smoking quantity and practical measures taken by the parents to prevent passive smoking among the children as assessed by parental reports.


RESULTS
In 48% of the families at least one adult was smoking. 33% of the smoking parents smoked more than ten cigarettes per day. 47% of the smoking families reported that they did not smoke indoors.


CONCLUSIONS
The parents were less likely to smoke if they were more than 35 years of age, had a child aged less than one year, had a spouse/co-habitee or had a long education. Smoking parents smoked less if they had a spouse/co-habitee, had a child aged less than one year or had few children. Smoking parents were more often careful and did not smoke indoors if they had a child aged less than one year, had a spouse/co-habitee, did not have a smoking spouse/co-habitee or smoked a low number of cigarettes per day.
Eriksen
W
W
Department of Community Medicine and General Practice, University of Oslo, Norway.
Bruusgaard
D
D
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D002669:Child Welfare; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D010290:Parents; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects*; D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000517:prevention & control*
D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution