Abstract
BACKGROUND
Environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) exposure is important for wheezy child. Our aim in this study is to find if parents would take necessary steps and decrease ETS exposure when they know the level of exposure by means of urinary cotinin levels.
METHODS
Families of children under age 3 who had episodic wheezing and at least one of the parents was smoking but not in the same environment with the child, were enrolled to the study (n=237). They were given leaflets about ETS exposure. Children with positive cotinin levels randomly assigned to study and control groups. Only parents in the study group were informed about cotinin levels by phone. All children were called for a follow-up visit two months later and given the questionnaire and urinary cotinin repeated. Effect of information leaflet and learning cotinin level on behavioral changes were analyzed.
RESULTS
In the study group there were 65 children (70.8% boys) and the control group was consisted of 69 children (75.4% boys). Mean age on admittance was similar in both groups. Number of cigarettes smoked by father was decreased significantly in the study group (p<0.05). Cotinin levels became negative in the 2nd visit in 20 children from both study and control groups (14.9%). There were no difference in sociocultural level of families (p>0.05) of cotinin positive and negative children. Advising not to smoke to spouse was significantly higher in cotinin negative group (p=0.02).
CONCLUSION
Knowledge of the parents on ETS exposure is not sufficient. In order to decrease ETS exposure, awareness of the parents should be increased. Apart from education, proving ETS exposure by using urinary cotinin levels may be beneficial.
- © 2013 ERS