Reduction of Secondary Smoke Exposure in Asthmatic Children: Parent Counseling

Abstract

Epidemiological evidence shows that children's exposure to secondhand tobacco smoke increases their risk of respiratory illness. This study evaluated five families and their asthmatic children (aged 5–14 years) in an outpatient counseling program for reducing the children's exposure to passive smoking. Intervention included biweekly counseling/instructions for parents to limit their children's tobacco exposure. A multiple-baseline, quasiexperimental design was used for self-reported measures of the children's smoke exposure and the parents' smoking frequency. Counseling was associated with smoke exposure reduction of 40–80% from baseline for each of 5 children, with most improvements sustained during follow-up. This study provides support for the development of tobacco exposure prevention programs for children with pulmonary disease.