Asthma is not enough: continuation of smoking among parents with an asthmatic child.
BACKGROUND
Ideally, on diagnosis of asthma in a child, parents are counselled to decrease environmental tobacco smoke exposure to their children.


OBJECTIVE
To determine whether a diagnosis of asthma in children altered parental smoking behaviour toward a reduction in environmental tobacco smoke exposure.


METHODS
In 2002/2003, a survey was sent to 12,556 households with children born in 1995 in Manitoba. Parents were asked whether their seven-year-old child had asthma, and whether smokers were present in the home in 1995 and/or currently. The likelihood (OR) of a change in parental smoking behaviour was determined according to the presence of asthma in their child, a family history of asthma, the location of residence (rural or urban) and their socioeconomic status.


RESULTS
A total of 3580 surveys (28.5%) were returned. The overall prevalence of parental smoking in 1995 and 2002/2003 was 32.2% and 23.4%, respectively (31.9%/23.2% and 32.3%/23.6% in rural and urban environments, respectively). In 2002/2003, the prevalence of parental smoking in homes with asthmatic children was 29.8%. Parents were not more likely to quit smoking (OR=1.01, 95% CI 0.66 to 1.54) or smoke outside (OR=1.02, 95% CI 0.56 to 1.83) if their child developed asthma. Parental smoking behaviour (quit smoking or smoked outside) did not change if there was a positive family history of asthma (OR=1.04, 95% CI 0.78 to 1.37), if they lived in a rural or urban location (OR=0.94, 95% CI 0.71 to 1.23), or if they were from a low- or high-income household (OR=1.12, 95% CI 0.85 to 1.47).


CONCLUSIONS
The likelihood of altering parental smoking behaviour occurred independently of a diagnosis of asthma in their child, a family history of asthma, the location of residence and their socioeconomic status.
Liem
Joel J
JJ
Section of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba.
Kozyrskyj
Anita L
AL
Benoit
Cecilia M
CM
Becker
Allan B
AB
D000328:Adult; D001249:Asthma / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008350:Manitoba / Q000453:epidemiology; D010290:Parents; D015995:Prevalence; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology*; D000074606:Smoking Prevention; D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000517:prevention & control
D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution