PARENTAL KNOWLEDGE OF THE ADVERSE EFFECTS OF HOUSEHOLD TOBACCO SMOKE EXPOSURE IN ASTHMATIC CHILDREN

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of household tobacco smoke exposure in children presenting to asthma clinic at Prapokklao Hospital and to survey parental knowledge and perception to the dangers of household smoke exposure. Parents/guardians who brought their children to asthma clinic during June-September 2014 were interviewed to complete survey questionnaires. If there were smokers in the household, questionnaires with a postage paid self-addressed envelopes were given to the family to take back home for other household smokers to complete. There were 149 asthmatic children who attended the asthma clinic during the study period. Seventy-one pediatric patients (47.7%) lived with at least one household smoker. Thirty-one smokers completed the questionnaires. Only five (16.1%) accompanied the patients to asthma clinic. Almost all of the smokers had a desire to quit smoking, and 58.1% of the smokers and 63.2% of the non-smokers had received information regarding the dangers of household smoke exposure. The knowledge test scores were not different between the two groups. The prevalence of household smoke exposure in asthmatic children was high, despite most of the smokers knew about the adverse effects of household smoke exposure on their children' s health and desired to quit smoking.