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Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2015 Jan 13;12(1):692-709.
doi: 10.3390/ijerph120100692.

Reducing environmental tobacco smoke exposure of preschool children: a randomized controlled trial of class-based health education and smoking cessation counseling for caregivers

Yun Wang  1 , Zhiqiang Huang  2 , Mei Yang  3 , Fuzhi Wang  4 , Shuiyuan Xiao  5
Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

Reducing environmental tobacco smoke exposure of preschool children: a randomized controlled trial of class-based health education and smoking cessation counseling for caregivers

Yun Wang et al. Int J Environ Res Public Health. .

Abstract

Objectives: To assess counseling to caregivers and classroom health education interventions to reduce environmental tobacco smoke exposure of children aged 5-6 years in China.

Methods: In a randomized controlled trial in two preschools in Changsha, China, 65 children aged 5-6 years old and their smoker caregivers (65) were randomly assigned to intervention (n = 33) and control (no intervention) groups (n = 32). In the intervention group, caregivers received self-help materials and smoking cessation counseling from a trained counselor, while their children were given classroom-based participatory health education. Children's urinary cotinine level and the point prevalence of caregiver quitting were measured at baseline and after 6 months.

Results: At the 6-month follow-up, children's urinary cotinine was significantly lower (Z = -3.136; p = 0.002) and caregivers' 7-day quit rate was significantly higher (34.4% versus 0%) (p < 0.001; adjusted OR = 1.13; 95% CI: 1.02-1.26) in the intervention than control group.

Conclusions: Helping caregivers quitting smoke combined with classroom-based health education was effective in reducing children's environmental tobacco smoke exposure. Larger-scale trials are warranted.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Diagram showing the selection process of participants.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Children’s urinary cotinine levels at the baseline and after the 6-month follow-up period in the intervention and control groups (dot and star represent the outliers).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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