Tobacco biomarkers show that socioeconomic factors of smoking…
Tobacco biomarkers show that socioeconomic factors of smoking parents and lack of smoking bans put children at higher risk for tobacco smoke exposures
Mahabee-Gittens EM, Matt GE, Ding L, et al. Comparison of Levels of Three Tobacco Smoke Exposure Biomarkers in Children of Smokers. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(22), 11803.
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/22/11803
“The objective of this study was to assess the associations between three TSE biomarkers (cotinine, NNAL, N-oxides), sociodemographics, parental smoking, and child TSE patterns among 0–17-year-olds…. Children of smokers who were younger, African American, and had no smoking bans had the highest TSE biomarker levels. Targeted interventions are needed to reduce TSE levels among high-risk children.”
Comment: Although this US study had a small sample size (179 pediatric patients), its biological measures confirm that socioeconomic variables of parents and lack of smoking bans do influence tobacco smoke exposures which are associated with adverse pediatric conditions.
Stephen Hamann
