Secondhand Smoke Exposure and Assessment

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Secondhand Smoke Exposure and Assessment
Department of Epidemiology

• Heather Wipfli
• Institute for Global Tobacco Control
• September 11, 2007

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Secondhand Smoke Exposure Among Women and Children
31 countries now included
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Secondhand Smoke Exposure Among Women and Children

• Objectives
• To characterize levels of SHS in homes and
  nicotine levels in women and children in multiple
  countries
• To generate locally-relevant data to support
  smoke-free policies and programs
• To identify baseline levels for monitoring the
  impact of tobacco control policies and programs
  around the world on voluntary efforts to reduce
  SHS exposure in homes

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Secondhand Smoke Exposure Among Women and Children

• Methodology
• Carried out in 31 countries in
• Latin America, Europe, Asia,
• and the Western Pacific
• 40 homes selected in each
• country

• 75 - at least one male smoker and one child
  under age 10 in the home
• 25 - no smoker in the home

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Secondhand Smoke Exposure Among Women and Children

• Methodology
• Passive air monitors in homes
• Biological samples from women and children (hair
  nicotine)
• Survey of perceptions and attitudes

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Hair Nicotine

• Nicotine incorporated into growing hair and
  absorbed onto the surface of hair
• Provides integrated, several weeks to month
  indicator
• Non-invasiverequires some hair sample only
• Specific and reasonably sensitive

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Secondhand Smoke Exposure Among Women and Children
Air Monitor
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Conclusions

• Women and children living with smokers are
  exposed to significant levels of SHS.
• Strong and expected effect of smoking on air
  nicotine concentrations and benefits of limiting
  smoking in the home.
• Need programs to increase awareness and
  encourage smoke-free homes.