Home smoking bans in Finland and the association with child smoking.
BACKGROUND
Few studies in Europe have investigated home smoking bans and their association with child smoking.


METHODS
A nationwide survey of 12 to 18-year olds in 2005 (n = 6503, response rate 66%) was used to study home smoking bans in Finland. Multinomial logistic regression analyses were used to study association of home smoking bans and child smoking.


RESULTS
Of the respondents, 58% reported a total ban, 27% a partial ban, 4% reported no ban and 10% chose the option 'I cannot say'. The lack of total ban was strongly associated with living in non-intact families, parents' lower educational level, parental smoking and parents' permissive attitude towards child smoking. Moreover, partial or no ban increased the likelihood of being a daily smoker. In the multinomial logistic regression model, the odds ratios (ORs) for children's daily smoking, adjusted for sociodemographic factors, parental smoking and their permissive attitude, were OR 2.9 [95% confidence interval (CI) 2.3-3.6] for partial ban and OR 14.3 (8.6-23.7) for no ban. In families where both parents smoked, the adjusted ORs were correspondingly 1.5 (95% CI 0.7-3.0) and 2.9 (95% CI 1.1-7.8).


CONCLUSIONS
Home smoking bans will contribute towards a reduced risk of child smoking even when parents smoke. Tobacco control legislation needs to be enhanced with measures promoting awareness of the benefits achievable through strict home smoking bans. Families characterized by lower socioeconomic status and smoking parents are particular target groups.
Rainio
Susanna U
SU
Tampere School of Public Health, University of Tampere, Finland. susanna.rainio@uta.fi
Rimpelä
Arja H
AH
D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior; D002648:Child; D002652:Child Behavior; D004522:Educational Status; D005191:Family Characteristics; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland / Q000453:epidemiology; D006291:Health Policy / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010290:Parents; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D000074606:Smoking Prevention; D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution / Q000517:prevention & control
D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution