A study conducted by the University of Cincinnati shows that children exposed to passive smoking use emergency services more often than those not exposed to cigarette smoke.
- Children subjected to passive smoking go to the pediatric emergency room more often than children not exposed to tobacco.
- They are also nearly twice as likely to be hospitalized over a one-year period as children not exposed to passive smoking.
For decades, multiple studies have highlighted the toxic effects of passive exposure to tobacco smoke in children. In 1999, a report by the World Health Organization (WHO) on passive smoking in children showed that children were more at risk of developing respiratory diseases in their first years of life, in particular bronchitis, bronchiolitis and pneumonia, but also of developing chronic respiratory symptoms such as ‘asthma.
Exposure to cigarette smoke also has a deleterious impact on the risk of acute and chronic diseases of the middle ear (otitis), the risk of cardiovascular diseases, neurological disorders and the appearance of pediatric cancers (tumors of the brain and lymphomas). In addition, newborns growing up in an environment polluted by tobacco smoke have been shown to have a five times greater risk of sudden infant death syndrome.
Twice the risk of hospitalization
In a new study published in PLOS ONE, researchers from the University of Cincinnati (United States) show that the effects of ambient smoking on children are clearly measurable. The results thus show that children exposed to tobacco smoke use pediatric emergency services more often than unexposed children, and that the costs of their visits are higher. Additionally, children exposed to second-hand smoke are almost twice as likely to be admitted to hospital over a one-year period as unexposed children.
“Despite significant progress in tobacco control, about 4 out of 10 children remain exposed to tobacco smoke, is alarmed Ashley Merianos, researcher in health services and co-lead author of the study. This exposure puts developing children at higher risk for many health problems, including respiratory diseases such as asthma, bronchiolitis and pneumonia.”
Targeted prevention campaigns
According to the researcher, the study highlights the need to implement prevention campaigns in emergency departments aimed at reducing children’s exposure to tobacco smoke, as well as the promotion of voluntary smoke-free policies. smoking in homes and cars to reduce children’s exposure to tobacco smoke and its consequences.
“If every health care provider used every pediatric visit to screen and counsel parents who smoke or vape on the dangers of exposure to second-hand and third-hand smoke for their children, the rates of pediatric exposure to tobacco smoke would would decrease”says Melinda Mahabee-Gittens, pediatric emergency physician and co-lead author.
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