Environmental tobacco smoke exposure and nocturnal symptoms among inner-city children with asthma.
BACKGROUND
Environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) is a frequent exposure and is linked to asthma among inner-city children.


OBJECTIVE
We sought to examine the relationship among ETS exposure, select asthma symptoms, and consequences among inner-city children with asthma.


METHODS
Data from interviews with primary caregivers of inner-city elementary school children with asthma were evaluated (n = 590). Caregiver reports of child asthma symptoms, exercise limitations, asthma management, health care use, and ETS exposure were examined.


RESULTS
Smoking in the home was reported by 29.4% of primary caregivers. ETS exposure (yes/no) was not related to frequency of child nocturnal symptoms or other select asthma morbidity markers. However, among children exposed to ETS, the frequency and severity of child nocturnal symptoms were highest among children exposed to moderate-to-heavy levels of ETS. After controlling for child age, anti-inflammatory medication use, asthma primary care, and caregiver's education, exposure to higher levels of ETS was associated with nearly a 3-fold increase in nocturnal symptoms in children (odds ratio, 2.83; 95% CI, 1.22-6.55).


CONCLUSIONS
Among elementary school inner-city children with asthma, exposure to higher levels of ETS was associated with increased frequency of nocturnal symptoms. Reducing the exposure of children with asthma to ETS should be a clear priority in developing effective asthma management plans for inner-city families.
Morkjaroenpong
V
V
Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, the Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA.
Rand
Cynthia S
CS
Butz
Arlene M
AM
Huss
Karen
K
Eggleston
Peyton
P
Malveaux
Floyd J
FJ
Bartlett
Susan J
SJ
D000328:Adult; D001249:Asthma / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D017028:Caregivers; D002648:Child; D004219:District of Columbia; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008396:Maryland; D009017:Morbidity; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012890:Sleep; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects; D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution; D014504:Urban Health
D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution