| Abstract |
Background: The exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS), referred to as passive smoking, is causally associated with a variety of health outcomes in non-smokers. Those most at risk from ETS exposure appear to be neonates, children and pregnant women. Maternal passive smoking has been epidemiologically linked to reduce birth weight, enhanced susceptibility to respiratory disease and adverse reproductive effects, such as spontaneous abortion and sudden infant death syndrome. In most studies on passive smoking published to date, exposure to passive smoking has been assessed by questionnaire. However, self-reported exposure has been compared to biochemical validation of biological markers in body fluids, such as cotinine. Objectives: The aim of this cross-sectional study was to investigate whether non-smoking pregnant women attending a prenatal care in Obstetrics and Gynecology Clinic, PEPAGNI Hospital, Heraclion, Crete, during July-August 2004, were exposed to passive smoking during pregnancy. Another attempt has been made to assess the topography of exposure to ETS in daily life. Methods: A structured interview questionnaire was used to obtain information on duration of exposure to passive smoking in the last 3 days to four sources: 1) partners smoking at home, 2) others smoking at home, 3) others smoking at work, and 4) others smoking in vehicles and in indoor public places. Results: Of the final sample of 128 women (mean age 26,9 years, range 17-38), only 1 women reported no exposure to any sources of passive smoking. All except two had a stable partner, 46,2 percent (n=59) had completed high school, 56,2 percent (n=72) were not working at the time of the interview , 32,8 percent (n=42) had a nonmanual job and 44,6 percent (n=57) were nulliparious. The prevalence of passive smoking had been estimated 50 percent (70/128) from partners tobacco smoke at home, 90 percent (117/128) to others smoke at home, 80 percent (42/56) in the workplace and 80 percent (102/128) in public places and/or vehicles. Only 1 women reported exposure to just one source and 41,4 percent (n=53) had been exposed to three sources. The mean duration of recent exposure from all sources was 9,2 hours, with the highest total contribution coming from home (partners smoke 2,6 hours, others smoke 2,09 hours), followed by exposure in the workplace (4,1 hours) and public places (0,28 hours). Our results indicated that some of the presented characteristics of pregnant women were found to be associated with exposure to passive smoking at home, such as womens age (χ2=9,156, df=2, p<0,05) and educational level (χ2=11,429, df=5, p<0,05). Conclusions:The results underline the need to consider sources of exposure other than partners tobacco smoke and to assess them individually rather than as an unweighted summative measure. From a public health point of view, policies are needed to limit pregnant womens exposures and behavioral interventions to avoid tobacco smoke should target women.
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Έκθεση σε παθητικό κάπνισμα εγκύων γυναικών κατοίκων του Νομού Ηρακλείου
