Association between Residential Tobacco Smoking Bans, Smoke Exposure, and Pulmonary Function: A Survey of Latino Children with Asthma

Abstract

Exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) is a risk factor for asthma development and progression. ETS exposure among children takes place mainly in the home. This paper examines the relationship between household smoking restrictions, the level of ETS exposure, and the asthma status of a sample of 192 low-income Latino asthmatic children, living with at least one smoker. Families were recruited throughout San Diego County, California. Mothers were interviewed on use of smoking restriction policies, possible correlates of these policies, their children's ETS exposure, asthma morbidity, and use of medical care. The children's pulmonary function was also assessed. As compared with the lack of smoking restrictions, a total ban on smoking was associated with a significantly lower reported level of children's ETS exposure at home (p < 0.05), in the car (p < 0.05), and overall (p < 0.01). Multivariate analyses indicated that having a smoking ban was associated with less severe asthma symptoms (p < 0.05), le...