rss
Tob Control 2004;13:29-37 doi:10.1136/tc.2003.003889
  • Research paper

Households contaminated by environmental tobacco smoke: sources of infant exposures

  1. G E Matt1,
  2. P J E Quintana2,
  3. M F Hovell2,
  4. J T Bernert3,
  5. S Song3,
  6. N Novianti2,
  7. T Juarez2,
  8. J Floro1,
  9. C Gehrman4,
  10. M Garcia1,
  11. S Larson5
  1. 1Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, San Diego, California, USA
  2. 2Graduate School of Public Health, San Diego State University
  3. 3US Centers for Disease Control, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
  4. 4SDSU/UCSD Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology, San Diego
  5. 5San Diego State University Foundation, WIC Program, San Diego
  1. Correspondence to:
 G E Matt
 PhD, Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92182-4611, USA; gmattsciences.sdsu.edu
  • Received 12 March 2003
  • Accepted 2 October 2003

Abstract

Objectives: To examine (1) whether dust and surfaces in households of smokers are contaminated with environmental tobacco smoke (ETS); (2) whether smoking parents can protect their infants by smoking outside and away from the infant; and (3) whether contaminated dust, surfaces, and air contribute to ETS exposure in infants.

Design: Quasi-experiment comparing three types of households with infants: (1) non-smokers who believe they have protected their children from ETS; (2) smokers who believe they have protected their children from ETS; (3) smokers who expose their children to ETS.

Setting: Homes of smokers and non-smokers.

Participants: Smoking and non-smoking mothers and their infants ≤ 1 year.

Main outcome measures: ETS contamination as measured by nicotine in household dust, indoor air, and household surfaces. ETS exposure as measured by cotinine levels in infant urine.

Results: ETS contamination and ETS exposure were 5–7 times higher in households of smokers trying to protect their infants by smoking outdoors than in households of non-smokers. ETS contamination and exposure were 3–8 times higher in households of smokers who exposed their infants to ETS by smoking indoors than in households of smokers trying to protect their children by smoking outdoors.

Conclusions: Dust and surfaces in homes of smokers are contaminated with ETS. Infants of smokers are at risk of ETS exposure in their homes through dust, surfaces, and air. Smoking outside the home and away from the infant reduces but does not completely protect a smoker’s home from ETS contamination and a smoker’s infant from ETS exposure.

Footnotes

    This Article

    1. Abstract
    2. Full text
    3. PDF

    Responses

    1. Submit a response
    2. No responses published

    Register for free content

    The full back archive is now available for all BMJ Journals. Institutional subscribers may access the entire archive as part of their subscription. Personal subscribers will also have access to all content when logged in. Non-subscribers who register have free access to all articles published before 2006 right back to volume 1 issue 1. Register hereto access the free archive of all BMJ Journals.

    Don't forget to sign up for content alertsso you keep up to date with all the articles as they are published.