title: Smokers still underestimate the risks posed by secondhand smoke: a repeated cross-sectional study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Little is known about risk perception of secondhand smoke (SHS) and its changes over time. The aim of the study was to examine the role of smoking status and demographics on perceiving a range of health risks of SHS exposure and their trends over time among a representative sample of the Irish general population.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study included 2 repeated cross-sectional samples of Irish adults in 1999 (n = 1,240) and 2006 (n = 1,000), in addition to a representative sample of General Practitioners (2006: n = 248), sampled as a health care professional's view on SHS risk. Participants were asked to consider whether a nonsmoker, exposed to SHS, is at an increased risk of asthma, lung cancer, heart disease, bronchitis, diabetes, and ear infections in children.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was a significant increase in the general population's risk perception of SHS for asthma, lung cancer, heart disease, and bronchitis from 1999 to 2006. Not even half of the general population in 1999 and in 2006 perceived a risk for the development of ear infections in children with SHS exposure (45% in 1999, 46% in 2006). With the exception of ear infections in children in 2006, the risk perception of all diseases differed significantly by smoking status; smokers' risk perception of SHS was significantly lower. Encouraging results suggest that the differences in risk perception between smokers and nonsmokers have decreased.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Risk perception of SHS exposure has improved as has the gap in perception between smokers and nonsmokers. This research points to a lack of awareness among the general population of the risk perception of SHS exposure to children.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University College Cork, Cork, Republic of Ireland; lonerganbb@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Bernie J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Lonergan
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University College Cork, Cork, Republic of Ireland;
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Meaney
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University College Cork, Cork, Republic of Ireland;
authors.forename: Ivan J
authors.initials: IJ
authors.lastname: Perry
authors.affiliation: National Cancer Registry, Cork, Republic of Ireland;
authors.forename: Harry
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Comber
authors.affiliation: Department of Economics, University College Cork, Cork, Republic of Ireland;
authors.forename: Bernadette
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Power
authors.affiliation: Department of General Practice, University College Cork, Cork, Republic of Ireland.
authors.forename: Colin
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bradley
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University College Cork, Cork, Republic of Ireland;
authors.forename: Birgit A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Greiner
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D058005:General Practitioners; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007494:Ireland; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012907:Smoking / Q000523:psychology*; D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution / Q000009:adverse effects*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution