Contribution of tobacco smoke exposure to learning disabilities.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the contribution of exposure to prenatal tobacco smoke (PTS) and environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) to parent-reported learning disabilities.


METHODS
A nationally representative, cross-sectional survey conducted in the United States, the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 1999 to 2002, was used to explore the association between reported learning disability and exposure to PTS and ETS.


METHODS
Data were analyzed from 5,420 children ages 4 to 15 years old.


METHODS
Secondary data analysis was conducted using logistic regression controlling for a number of potential confounders and covariates.


RESULTS
Overall, 10.6% of children had a parent-reported learning disability (LD), exceeding previous estimates. Exposure to PTS (odds ratio [OR] = 1.6) and ETS (OR = 1.6) were significantly associated with increased odds for LD in children, with a greater odds noted (OR = 2.6) when exposed to PTS and ETS.


CONCLUSIONS
Exposure to tobacco smoke significantly increases the odds for children to have a learning disability. Overall, results indicate that if tobacco exposure is causally associated to LD, eliminating exposures could prevent an estimated 750,000 of parent-reported learning disabilities in the United States. Results underscore the need for diligence in the promotion of smoking prevention and cessation efforts.
Anderko
Laura
L
Robert and Kathleen Scanlon Endowed Chair for Values Based Health Care in the School of Nursing and Health Studies, Georgetown University, Washington, DC.. Electronic address: la266@georgetown.edu.
Braun
Joe
J
Department of Epidemiology at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC.
Auinger
Peggy
P
Department of Neurology, University of Rochester School of Medicine and the American Academy of Pediatrics Center for Child Health Research, Rochester, NY.
D000293:Adolescent; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015986:Confounding Factors, Epidemiologic; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007859:Learning Disabilities / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D009749:Nutrition Surveys; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014481:United States
D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution