title: Secondhand smoke risk in infants discharged from an NICU: potential for significant health disparities?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Secondhand smoke exposure (SHSe) threatens fragile infants discharged from a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Smoking practices were examined in families with a high respiratory risk infant (born at very low birth weight; ventilated > 12 hr) in a Houston, Texas, NICU. Socioeconomic status, race, and mental health status were hypothesized to be related to SHSe and household smoking bans.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data were collected as part of The Baby's Breath Project, a hospital-based SHSe intervention trial targeting parents with a high-risk infant in the NICU who reported a smoker in the household (N = 99). Measures of sociodemographics, smoking, home and car smoking bans, and depression were collected.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall, 26% of all families with a high-risk infant in the NICU reported a household smoker. Almost half of the families with a smoker reported an annual income of less than $25,000. 46.2% of families reported having a total smoking ban in place in both their homes and cars. Only 27.8% families earning less than $25,000 reported having a total smoking ban in place relative to almost 60% of families earning more (p < .01). African American and Caucasian families were less likely to have a smoking ban compared with Hispanics (p < .05). Mothers who reported no smoking ban were more depressed than those who had a household smoking ban (p < .02).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The most disadvantaged families were least likely to have protective health behaviors in place to reduce SHSe and, consequently, are most at-risk for tobacco exposure and subsequent tobacco-related health disparities. Innovative SHSe interventions for this vulnerable population are sorely needed.
authors.affiliation: Family and Community Medicine, University of Texas Medical School at Houston, 6431 Fannin, JJL 324, Houston, TX 77030, USA. angela.l.stotts@uth.tmc.edu
authors.forename: Angela L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Stotts
authors.forename: Patricia W
authors.initials: PW
authors.lastname: Evans
authors.forename: Charles E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Green
authors.forename: Thomas F
authors.initials: TF
authors.lastname: Northrup
authors.forename: Carrie L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Dodrill
authors.forename: Jeffery M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Fox
authors.forename: Jon E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Tyson
authors.forename: Melbourne F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Hovell
mesh_terms: D001741:Black or African American / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016902:Air Pollution, Indoor / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D044466:Asian People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017028:Caregivers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005191:Family Characteristics / Q000208:ethnology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D054625:Healthcare Disparities / Q000208:ethnology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007363:Intensive Care Units, Neonatal; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D012306:Risk; D040242:Risk Reduction Behavior; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013781:Texas / Q000453:epidemiology; D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D044465:White People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
chemical_list: D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution