title: Effects of tobacco smoke exposure on asthma prevalence and medical care use in North Carolina middle school children.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We sought to determine the effects of exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) and childhood cigarette smoking on asthma symptoms among middle school children in North Carolina.
  
  
  METHODS
  During 1999-2000, information was collected from a survey completed by the children. Outcomes of asthma symptom reporting were regressed on tobacco smoke exposures.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Children who currently smoked or reported any exposure to ETS were at increased risk of reporting active asthma symptoms. Exposure to ETS and childhood cigarette smoking was responsible for 15% of the asthma cases observed in the study population and $1.34 million in excess medical expenditures.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Even at low levels of exposure, childhood cigarette smoking and ETS are independently associated with asthmatic symptoms.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, USA. jsturm1@jhmi.edu
authors.forename: Jesse J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Sturm
authors.forename: Karin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yeatts
authors.forename: Dana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Loomis
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001249:Asthma / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D002648:Child; D002662:Child Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D009657:North Carolina / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D012650:Self Disclosure; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000032:analysis / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
chemical_list: D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution