title: Secondhand smoke exposure and maternal action to protect children from secondhand smoke: pre- and post-smokefree legislation in Hong Kong.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Smokefree legislation may protect children from secondhand smoke (SHS) in the home from smoking parent(s). We examined the effect of the 2007 smokefree legislation on children's exposure to SHS in the home and maternal action to protect children from SHS exposure in Hong Kong.
  
  
  METHODS
  Families with a smoking father and a non-smoking mother were recruited from public clinics before (2005-2006, n = 333) and after the legislation (2007-2008, n = 742) which led to a major extension of smokefree places in Hong Kong. Main outcomes included children's SHS exposure in the home, nicotine level in mothers' and children's hair and home environment, mothers' action to protect children from SHS, and their support to the fathers to quit.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fewer mothers post-legislation reported children's SHS exposure in the home (87.2% versus 29.3%, p<0.01), which was consistent with their hair nicotine levels (0.36 ng/mg versus 0.04 ng/mg, p<0.01). More mothers post-legislation in the last month took their children away from cigarette smoke (6.3% versus 92.2%; p<0.01) and advised fathers to quit over 3 times (8.3% versus 33.8%; p<0.01). No significant change was found in the content of smoking cessation advice and the proportion of mothers who took specific action to support the fathers to quit.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  SHS exposure in the home decreased and maternal action to protect children from SHS increased after the 2007 smokefree legislation. Maternal support to fathers to quit showed moderate improvement. Cessation services for smokers and specific interventions for smoking families should be expanded together with smokefree legislation.
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
authors.forename: Sophia Siu Chee
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
authors.forename: Yee Tak Derek
authors.initials: YT
authors.lastname: Cheung
authors.affiliation: The Nethersole School of Nursing, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
authors.forename: Doris Yin Ping
authors.initials: DY
authors.lastname: Leung
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China.
authors.forename: Yim Wah
authors.initials: YW
authors.lastname: Mak
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
authors.forename: Gabriel M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Leung
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
authors.forename: Tai Hing
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Lam
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D005220:Fathers; D005260:Female; D006723:Hong Kong; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009035:Mothers; D016540:Smoking Cessation; D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*
chemical_list: D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution