Original Articles
Parental perceptions towards passive smoking: a cross-sectional survey in Vikarabad town, India
Authors:
- K S PoornimaEmail K S Poornima
- P Parthasarathi Reddy
- M Shakeel Anjum
- M Monica
- K Yadav Rao
- Irram Abbas
Abstract
Background: Environmental tobacco smoke is a known human carcinogen and passive smoking has now emerged as a health threat. Home is the major source of exposure to tobacco smoke among children.
Objective: To explore parents’ smoking behaviour and their perceptions towards passive smoking and its effects on their children.
Method: A cross-sectional, household survey was conducted on 179 smoking parents in an Indian town using a semi-structured questionnaire which gathered information about demographic factors and 21 questions assessing their smoking behaviour and perceptions about passive smoking.
Results: Thirty two percent reported that they did not know smoking caused cancer and only 25% strongly believed that if parents smoked, it had a harmful effect on children's health.
Conclusion: Low education, unskilled jobs and a past experience of smoking related health problems have an influence on the way passive smoke and its harmful effects are perceived by smoking parents.
- Year: 2016
- Volume: 45 Issue: 1
- Page/Article: 24-31
- DOI: 10.4038/sljch.v45i1.8081
- Published on 5 Mar 2016
- Peer Reviewed