Abstract

Objective: Exposure of children to tobacco smoke (ETS) is an important public health problem. The goal of this study was to determine the self-reported passive smoke exposure status of primary school students in grades 3 to 5.

Material and Method: This cross-sectional study was carried out during December 2006. A total of 305 school children and a total of 277 parents were included in the study. The study was conducted on primary school students and their parents using a standard questionnaire. Parents were asked to complete a questionnaire about their smoking habits, their children’s respiratory morbidity status and housing conditions. Descriptive statistics, chi-square and kappa analysis were used in data analysis.

Results: According to the responses, 68.0% of the children came from households with smokers, and 58.3% had daily exposure to tobacco smoke. No relation was detected between the symptoms of respiratory tract diseases and ETS exposure.

Conclusion: Study findings demonstrate the importance of ETS as a leading health issue in children. Exposure to tobacco smoke (ETS) in the home continues to be a major health risk for children.