Factors associated with the use of cannabis for self-medication by adults: data from the French TEMPO cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Medical cannabis, legalized in many countries, remains illegal in France. Despite an experiment in the medical use of cannabis that began in March 2021 in France, little is known about the factors associated with the use of cannabis for self-medication among adults. METHODS: Data came from the French TEMPO cohort and were collected between December 2020 and May 2021. Overall, 345 participants aged 27-47 were included. Cannabis for self-medication was defined using the following questions: 'Why do you use cannabis?' and 'In what form do you use cannabis?'. The penalized regression method "Elastic net" was used to determine factors associated with the use of cannabis for self-medication, with the hypothesis that it is mainly used for pain in individuals who have already used cannabis. RESULTS: More than half of the participants reported having ever used cannabis (58%). Only 10% used it for self-declared medical reasons (n = 36). All self-medication cannabis users, except one, were also using cannabis for recreational purposes. The main factors associated with cannabis use for self-medication vs. other reasons included cannabis use trajectories, the presence of musculoskeletal disorders, tobacco smoking, and parental divorce. CONCLUSIONS: Engaging in cannabis use during adolescence or early adulthood may increase the likelihood of resorting to self-medication in adulthood. Due to the propensity of individuals with cannabis use during adolescence to resort to uncontrolled products for self-medication, this population should be more systematically targeted and screened for symptoms and comorbidities that may be associated with cannabis use.

Barriers and Enablers for Deprescribing Glucose-Lowering Treatment in Older Adults: A Systematic Review.

OBJECTIVES: Overtreatment with glucose-lowering treatment (GLT) is frequent and a source of high morbidity and mortality in older adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). This study aimed to identify and synthesize barriers and enablers for deprescribing GLT in older adults (≥65 years) with T2DM. DESIGN: Systematic review of qualitative and mixed-methods studies. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: Older adults with T2DM, any participants [patients, health care providers (HCPs), caregivers], any settings. METHODS: Two researchers (and a referred third researcher at all stages) independently screened original articles reporting qualitative and mixed-methods studies exploring barriers and enablers for deprescribing GLT in older adults published during 2010-2023, identified from MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, and gray literature. Quality of the included studies was assessed with the Mixed-Methods Appraisal Tool. Verbatim statements on barriers and enablers were extracted, and determinants of behaviors were identified with the Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF) version 2, and related intervention functions (targets for future interventions) were proposed according to the Behavior Change Wheel (BCW). RESULTS: We identified only 4 studies from 2 countries (United States and the Netherlands), all recently published (2019-2023), that primarily reported barriers to GLT deprescribing from interviews or focus groups of patients or HCPs practicing outpatient medicine. Knowledge, fear, poor communication, inertia, and trust with HCPs were the main determinants of behaviors that influenced deprescribing, and education, training, persuasion and environmental restructuring were the main intervention functions for proposing future interventions. Studies did not cover financial aspects, physician characteristics, or caregiver and family viewpoints. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: The use of a behavioral theory and a validated implementation framework provided a comprehensive approach to identifying barriers and enablers for deprescribing GLT in older adults (≥65 years) with T2DM. The behavioral determinants identified may be useful in tailoring interventions to improve the implementation of GLT deprescribing in older adults in ambulatory settings.

General practice-related MeSH terms in main journals: a bibliometric analysis from 2011 to 2021.

BACKGROUND: There are various Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) terms used to index general practice research, without consistency. AIM: To understand how general practice-related research is indexed in the main general practice journals between 2011 and 2021, and to analyse the factors that influenced the choice of the general practice-related MeSH. DESIGN AND SETTING: This was a quantitative bibliometric study conducted on MEDLINE. METHOD: MeSH were selected according to the international definition of General Practice/Family Medicine: 'General Practice', 'Primary Health Care', 'Family Practice', 'General Practitioners', 'Physicians, Primary Care', and 'Physicians, Family'. Their use was studied from 2011 to 2021 on MEDLINE, reviewing the 20 general practice journals with the highest impact factors. A descriptive and analytical approach was used; the association of the country, journal, and year with the choice of general practice-related MeSH terms was analysed. RESULTS: A total of 8514 of 150 286 articles (5.7%) were using one of the general practice-related MeSH terms. The most used were 'Primary Health Care' (4648/9984, 46.6%) and 'General Practice' (2841/9984, 28.5%). A total of 80.0% (6172/7723) of the articles were related to the UK or US and 71.0% (6055/8514) of the articles came from four journals (BJGP, BMJ, Journal of General Internal Medicine, and Annals of Family Medicine). Two main country clusters emerged from the use of general practice-related MeSH: a British cluster mainly using 'General Practice' and an American cluster using 'Primary Health Care'. The journals also mainly differed in their used of these two MeSH terms. CONCLUSION: Important variations in the indexation of general practice research were found. Researchers should consider combining 'Primary Health Care' and 'General Practice' in their PubMed searches to access all the general practice research, regardless of their country of origin.

Description of patients with eating disorders by general practitioners: a cohort study and focus on co-management with depression.

BACKGROUND: International guidelines often state that general practitioners (GPs) provide early management for most patients with eating disorders (EDs). GP management of EDs has not been studied in France. Depressive disorders are often a comorbidity of EDs. The aims of this study were to describe in France the characteristics of people with all subcategories of EDs (Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, ED Not Otherwise Specified) managed by their GPs and to study the management temporality between depression and all subcategories of EDs. METHODS: Retrospective cohort study of patients with EDs visiting French GPs. Data collected from 1994 through 2009 were extracted from the French society of general electronic health record. A descriptive analysis of the population focused on depression, medication such as antidepressants and anxiolytics, and the management temporality between depression and EDs. RESULTS: 1310 patients aged 8 years or older were seen at least once for an ED by a GP participating in the database out of 355,848 patients, with a prevalence rate of 0.3%. They had a mean age of 35.19 years, 82.67% were women. 41.6% had anorexia nervosa, 26.4% bulimia nervosa, and 32% an ED not otherwise specified. Overall, 32.3% had been managed at least once for depression, and 18.4% had been prescribed an antidepressant of any type at least once. Benzodiazepines had been prescribed at least once for 73.9% of the patients treated for depression. Patients with an ED seen regularly by their GP ("during" profile) received care for depression more frequently than those with other profiles. 60.9% had a single visit with the participating GP for their ED Treatment and management for depression did not precede care for EDs. CONCLUSIONS: Data extracted from the French society of general practice were the only one available in France in primary care about EDs and our study was the only one on this topic. The frequency of visits for EDs was very low in our general practice-based sample. Depressive disorders were a frequent comorbidity of EDs. GPs could manage common early signs of depression and EDs, especially if they improved their communication skills and developed collaborative professional management.

International guidelines often state that general practitioners (GPs) provide early management for most patients with eating disorders (EDs). Depressive disorders are often a comorbidity of EDs. The aims of this study were to describe in France the characteristics of people with all subcategories of EDs managed by their GPs and to study the management temporality between depression and all subcategories of EDs. We carried out a cohort study with the only French database available in general practice. 1310 patients aged 8 years or older were seen at least once for an ED by a GP participating in the database out of 355,848 patients. They had a mean age of 35.19 years, 82.67% were women. 41.6% had anorexia nervosa, 26.4% bulimia nervosa, and 32% an ED not otherwise specified. 32.3% had been managed at least once for depression. Benzodiazepines had been prescribed at least once for 73.9% of the patients treated for depression. Management for depression did not precede care for EDs. The frequency of visits for EDs was very low in our general practice-based sample. GPs could manage common early signs of depression and EDs, especially if they improved their communication skills and developed collaborative professional management.

General practitioners' perceptions of dealing with patients with pressured speech: a qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: Empathetic listening can be particularly challenging with patients presenting pressured speech, while time pressure and costs limit practitioners' availability. We aimed to explore general practitioners' (GPs') experiences when encountering a patient with pressured speech without pathological syndrome. METHODS: Using a thematic analysis method, 19 semi-structured interviews were conducted with GPs purposively sampled in Ile-de-France region. RESULTS: Three themes emerged. First, misgivings were aroused when meeting a patient with pressured speech, including frustration, displeasure, and a struggle to maintain focus. Second, huge efforts were needed to adhere to the appropriate clinical reasoning and care for these patients who need more time and energy. The very definition of this condition varies from one clinician to another, and for some, psychiatric conditions were systematically associated. Third, implementation of specific strategies was required to adjust to these patients: trying to create distance with the patient, to organize a framework in which the patient with pressured speech can express him or herself, and even strategies to increase GPs' availability. CONCLUSION: The time and energy required to provide adequate care for patients presenting with pressured speech make it quite challenging, and this builds up pressure in the waiting room. But when medical demands take this form, there is a risk that clinicians will reject the patient or refer early to mental health services, leading to growing feelings of abandonment, the neglect of organic issues, and medical nomadism. Initial and continuing medical training focussing on advanced communication skills and multifocal approaches can foster long-term follow-up.

The Experience of HIV-Positive Transgender Women Engaging in Physical Activity: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis.

Regular physical activity should benefit HIV-positive transgender women because they are a particularly vulnerable population. However, engaging in physical activity seems particularly difficult among this population. To inform the development of interventions to increase adherence to physical activity, we explored perceptions of physical activity in 10 semi-structured interviews with HIV-positive transgender women. Interviews were subjected to a qualitative approach named interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA). Inspired by Cooley's theory, we chose to illustrate the results according to a three-level structure, i.e., confronting oneself to oneself with a specific identity, then confronting oneself with others on an interpersonal level, and eventually confronting oneself with society as a normative frame through the specific prism of physical activity, and thus relationship to one's body. The idea of practicing physical activity meant for them: having to face what they tried to be kept hidden, being ostracized by the cis population, and facing social heteronormativity. The fears about health were mostly about HIV and the transitioning process side effects. The psychological issues were mostly about the fear of developing male shaped bodies and worsened by traumatic life stories. External factors were often related to the passing concept and violence caused by stigma and discrimination. The group appeared as a strong motivation factor, facilitating self-acceptance and socialization.

Prevalence of smoking during pregnancy and associated social inequalities in developed countries over the 1995-2020 period: A systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Smoking during pregnancy (SDP) is an important source of preventable morbidity and mortality for both mother and child. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to describe changes in the prevalence of SDP over the last 25 years in developed countries (Human Development Index >0.8 in 2020) and associated social inequalities. DATA SOURCES: A systematic review was conducted based on a search in PubMed, Embase and PsycInfo databases and government sources. STUDY SELECTION AND DATA EXTRACTION: Published studies between January 1995 and March 2020, for which the primary outcome was to assess the national prevalence of SDP and the secondary outcome was to describe related socio-economic data were included in the analysis. The selected articles had to be written in English, Spanish, French or Italian. SYNTHESIS: The articles were selected after successive reading of the titles, abstracts and full-length text. An independent double reading with intervention of a third reader in case of disagreement allowed including 35 articles from 14 countries in the analysis. RESULTS: The prevalence of SDP differed across the countries studied despite comparable levels of development. After 2015, the prevalence of SDP ranged between 4.2% in Sweden and 16.6% in France. It was associated with socio-economic factors. The prevalence of SDP slowly decreased over time, but this overall trend masked inequalities within populations. In Canada, France and the United States, the prevalence decreased more rapidly in women of higher socio-economic status, and inequalities in maternal smoking were more marked in these countries. In the other countries, inequalities tended to decrease but remained significant. CONCLUSIONS: During pregnancy, that is a period described as a window of opportunity, smoking and social vulnerability factors need to be detected to implement targeted prevention strategies aiming at reducing related social inequalities.

Experience of Cannabis Use from Adolescence to Adulthood in France: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis.

Levels of cannabis use are high during adolescence, but the proportion of cannabis users among adults is also progressing, often for medical reasons. This study describes the reasons and motivations for using medical cannabis among adults over 30 years old in France. This qualitative study was performed using an interpretative phenomenological analysis. People with a history of cannabis use or current cannabis users were recruited from the TEMPO cohort. Homogeneous purposive sampling was applied among those using medical cannabis. Twelve participants, among thirty-six who reported using cannabis for medical reasons, were selected and interviewed. Five superordinate themes were identified in the analysis: 1-soothing a traumatic experience through cannabis use; 2-an ambivalent relationship with the user and cannabis and with the user and close relatives; 3-cannabis, a known soft drug comparable to alcohol or tobacco, leading to an illogical demonization; 4-recreational use in the context of experimentation; and 5-a paradoxical desire for exemplary parenting. In this first recent study to describe the reasons and views adults have in order to continue using cannabis after 30 years of age, we identified ways to explain this consumption. The internal appeasement provoked by cannabis stems from a struggle to appease a violent external situation.

Pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum experience in pregnant women infected with SARS-CoV-2 in 2020 in Paris: a qualitative phenomenological study.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting lockdowns triggered social discontent on an unprecedented scale. Descriptive phenomenological studies showed that pregnant women were under intense stress during the COVID-19 outbreak, even though they remained uninfected. The purpose of this study was to report on the experiences of pregnant women affected by mild COVID-19 during the first wave of the pandemic. METHODS: In this non- interventional qualitative study, we analyzed pregnant women's experiences using an interpretive phenomenological analysis approach. We conducted semi-structured interviews with women who had had a mild COVID-19 during their pregnancy, and gave birth or planned to give birth in the maternity units of Sorbonne University in Paris, France. RESULTS: Participants reported that at the time they had COVID-19, they were not afraid of being seriously ill, but of transmitting COVID-19 to their close relatives. Their main concern was being pregnant and becoming a parent in a world where the pandemic deeply altered social environment. This included uncertainty about the future and an acute feeling of isolation related to lockdown. The idea that their partner might not be allowed to attend childbirth was almost unanimously felt as intolerable. In contrast, women had positive feelings regarding the fact that lockdown resulted in a de facto paternity leave leading to a certain degree of equality in the couple regarding baby care and household chores. Unexpectedly, the pandemic social distancing measures helped participants escaping from behavioral constraints, including the unspoken rule that they should welcome greetings from friends and family, despite being exhausted by the recent birth. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that avoiding separation from their partner is a key to benevolent medical care for pregnant women in times of health crises. The unexpected benefits women reported in a world of lockdown cast a new light on their expectation regarding parenthood today.

Experiences of French medical students during their clerkship in adolescent psychiatry: a qualitative study.

The epidemiology of adolescent psychiatric disorders and the relational complexity of their management make exposure to adolescent psychiatry essential during medical school. However, some clinical particularities can complicate the students' learning experiences. Our work aimed to explore the experience of being a medical student during clerkships in adolescent psychiatry. Following the Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis qualitative approach, 20 semi-structured face-to-face interviews were conducted with medical students at the end of their clerkship in adolescent psychiatry. Three super-ordered themes emerged to describe their experience: in-depth self-exploration calling on emotions, thoughts and experiences; changes in the view of adolescent mental health; better understanding of the role and meaning of adolescent psychiatric care and how to approach it. Identification between students and patients could result from time-related factors (the end of adolescent brain remodeling, long, demanding studies, and financial and material dependence). In addition, the predominant use of non-analytical clinical reasoning processes-less valued in the rest of the graduate curriculum-poses a challenge for students. Indeed, for a student to find his or her place in adolescent psychiatry requires the student to reinvent him or herself, because the codes are different (no gown, less well-defined tasks, etc.). Finally, the excess prevalence of mental disorders among medical students requires increased vigilance on the part of tutors. For all these reasons, close, attentive tutoring seems essential to support students, while these clerkships afford a real opportunity for students to broaden their interpersonal skills.

Personal recovery of young adults with severe anorexia nervosa during adolescence: a case series.

PURPOSE: Despite the emergence of a growing qualitative literature about the personal recovery process in mental disorders, this topic remains little understood in anorexia nervosa (AN), especially severe AN during adolescence. This cases series is a first step that aims to understand recovery after severe AN among adolescents in France, from a first-person perspective. METHODS: This cases series applied the interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) method to data collected in semi-structured face-to-face interviews about the recovery process of five young women who had been hospitalized with severe AN 10 years earlier during adolescence. RESULTS: A model of recovery in four stages (corseted, vulnerable, plastic, and playful) crossing seven dimensions (struggle and path of initiation; work on oneself; self-determination and help; body; family; connectedness; and timeline) emerged from the analysis. New features of the AN personal recovery process were characterized: bodily well-being and pleasure of body; stigmatization; the role of the group; relation to time; and importance of narratives. We suggest a new shape to model the AN recovery process, one that suggests several tipping points. Recruitment must now be widened to different AN contexts. CONCLUSIONS: The personal recovery paradigm may provide a new approach to care, complementary to medical paradigm. REGISTRATION OF CLINICAL TRIAL: No. NCT03712384. Our study was purely observational, without assignment of medical intervention. As a consequence, this clinical trial was registered retrospectively. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level V, descriptive study.

Development of Primary Care Research in North America, Europe, and Australia From 1974 to 2017.

Research is a necessity for high-quality medicine. We used the MEDLINE database to conduct a bibliometric analysis of research output with respect to primary care by 21 countries. For the period 1974 to 2017, the United States and the United Kingdom stood out in terms of publication volume, and the UK, Canada, and Australia had the greatest percentage of publications in primary care. As of 2017, publications in primary care represented a small proportion of total publications. The countries with the greatest publication productivity possess factors that should be considered with respect to strengthening research in primary care.

Changes in body mass index during childhood and risk of various asthma phenotypes: a retrospective analysis.

BACKGROUND: It is known that asthma is related to obesity but also to small birthweight. The objective of this study was to clarify this issue by assessing the putative relationship between the changes in corpulence between birth and childhood as assessed by body mass index (BMI) and asthma phenotypes. METHODS: The following status in corpulence was assessed in 7781 schoolchildren using quartile of BMI at birth and at around 10 (9-11 years): underweight at birth and at around 10, underweight at birth and overweight at around 10, overweight at birth and underweight at around 10, overweight at birth and at around 10, and the reference group constituted by all the other children in whom corpulence changes were not extreme. Determination of asthma phenotypes (allergic, non-allergic, and exercise-induced asthma) was based on a clinical examination including skin prick tests, an exercise challenge test, and a questionnaire. RESULTS: The risk of allergic asthma was higher in children with persistent underweight, children with persistent overweight, and children becoming markedly more corpulent. In boys, the risk of allergic asthma was significantly higher for the less corpulent children at birth, regardless of whether they remained so or become overweight. In girls, the risk of allergic asthma was significantly higher in those with persistent overweight. There were no significant associations between BMI changes and non-allergic and exercise-induced asthma. CONCLUSIONS: We observed that some extreme changes in BMI, persistent underweight, and persistent overweight in childhood increased the risk of allergic asthma.

Private or salaried practice: how do young general practitioners make their career choice? A qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: Young French postgraduates in general practice increasingly prefer salaried practice to private practice in spite of the financial incentives offered by the French government or local communities to encourage the latter. This study aimed to explore the determinants of choice between private or salaried practice among young general practitioners. METHODS: A qualitative study was conducted in the South West of France. Semi-structured interviews of young general practitioners were audio-recorded until data saturation. Recordings were transcribed and then analyzed according to Grounded Theory by three researchers working independently. RESULTS: Sixteen general practitioners participated in this study. For salaried and private doctors, the main factors governing their choice were occupational factors: working conditions, need of varied scope of practice, quality of the doctor-patient relationship or career flexibility. Other factors such as postgraduate training, having worked as a locum or self-interest were also determining. Young general practitioners all expected a work-life balance. The fee-for-service scheme or home visits may have discouraged young general practitioners from choosing private practice. CONCLUSIONS: National health policies should increase the attractiveness of ambulatory general practice by promoting the diversification of modes of remuneration and encouraging the organization of group exercises in multidisciplinary medical homes and community health centers.

Quality of qualitative studies centred on patients in family practice: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Qualitative research is often used in the field of general medicine. Our objective was to evaluate the quality of published qualitative studies conducted using individual interviews or focus groups centred on patients monitored in general practice. METHODS: We have undertaken a review of the literature in the PubMed and Embase databases of articles up to February 2014. The selection criteria were qualitative studies conducted using individual interviews or focus groups, centred on patients monitored in general practice. The articles chosen were analysed and evaluated using a score established from the Relevance, Appropriateness, Transparency and Soundness (RATS) grid. RESULTS: The average score of the 52 studies chosen was 28 out of 42. The criteria least often present were the description of the patients who chose not to participate in the study, the justification of the end of data collection, the discussion of the influence of the researchers and the discussion of the confidentiality of the data. The criteria most frequently described were an explicit research question, justified and in relation to existing knowledge, the agreement of the ethical committee and the presence of quotations. The number of studies and the score increased from year-to-year. The score was independent of the impact factor of the journal. CONCLUSIONS: Even though the qualitative research was published in reviews with a low impact factor, our results suggest that this research responded to the quality criteria of the RATS grid. The evaluation scored using RATS could be useful for authors or reviewers and for literature reviews.

General practitioners' justifications for therapeutic inertia in cardiovascular prevention: an empirically grounded typology.

OBJECTIVE: To construct a typology of general practitioners' (GPs) responses regarding their justification of therapeutic inertia in cardiovascular primary prevention for high-risk patients with hypertension. DESIGN: Empirically grounded construction of typology. Types were defined by attributes derived from the qualitative analysis of GPs' reported reasons for inaction. PARTICIPANTS: 256 GPs randomised in the intervention group of a cluster randomised controlled trial. SETTING: GPs members of 23 French Regional Colleges of Teachers in General Practice, included in the EffectS of a multifaceted intervention on CArdiovascular risk factors in high-risk hyPErtensive patients (ESCAPE) trial. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: The database consisted of 2638 written responses given by the GPs to an open-ended question asking for the reasons why drug treatment was not changed as suggested by the national guidelines. All answers were coded using constant comparison analysis. A matrix analysis of codes per GP allowed the construction of a response typology, where types were defined by codes as attributes. Initial coding and definition of types were performed independently by two teams. RESULTS: Initial coding resulted in a list of 69 codes in the final codebook, representing 4764 coded references in the question responses. A typology including seven types was constructed. 100 GPs were allocated to one and only one of these types, while 25 GPs did not provide enough data to allow classification. Types (numbers of GPs allocated) were: 'optimists' (28), 'negotiators' (20), 'checkers' (15), 'contextualisers' (13), 'cautious' (11), 'rounders' (8) and 'scientists' (5). For the 36 GPs that provided 50 or more coded references, analysis of the code evolution over time and across patients showed a consistent belonging to the initial type for any given GP. CONCLUSION: This typology could provide GPs with some insight into their general ways of considering changes in the treatment/management of cardiovascular risk factors and guide design of specific physician-centred interventions to reduce inappropriate inaction. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT00348855.

Detecting eating disorder patients in a general practice setting: a systematic review of heterogeneous data on clinical outcomes and care trajectories.

PURPOSE: The incidence and prevalence of eating disorders (ED) is low in general practice (GP) settings. Studies in secondary care suggest that the general practitioner has an important role to play in the early detection of patients with EDs. The aim of this study was to describe the effect (clinical outcomes and care trajectory) of screening for EDs among patients in general practice settings. METHODS: A systematic review was conducted on Medline, PsycINFO, CINAHL, Embase and WOS. The studies included were to have been carried out in a primary care setting, with screening explicitly performed in GP practices and follow-up information. RESULTS: Ten studies met the inclusion criteria. For all ED patients, there was an increase in the frequency of consultations in GP setting, referrals to psychiatric resources and drug prescriptions such as antidepressants, following screening procedures. Clinical outcomes remained unclear and heterogeneous. One study focused on the course and outcome of ED patients identified by screening in the GP setting and reported recovery for anorexia nervosa (AN) and BN in more than half of the cases, after 4.8 years of mean follow-up. In this study, early age at detection predicted better recovery. CONCLUSION: Most of the literature on the role of the GP in screening for and managing EDs consists of opinion papers and original studies designed in a secondary care perspective. The impact of systematically screening for EDs in a primary care setting is not clarified and requires further investigation in collaborative cohort studies with a patient-centered approach, and outcomes focused on symptoms.

Correction: Postnatal Environmental Tobacco Smoke Exposure Related to Behavioral Problems in Children.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0133604.].

Postnatal Environmental Tobacco Smoke Exposure Related to Behavioral Problems in Children.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to examine the association between pre and post environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) exposure and behavioral problems in schoolchildren. METHODS: In the cross-sectional 6 cities Study conducted in France, 5221 primary school children were investigated. Pre- and postnatal exposure to secondhand tobacco smoke at home was assessed using a parent questionnaire. Child's behavioral outcomes (emotional symptoms and conduct problems) were evaluated by the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) completed by the parents. RESULTS: ETS exposure during the postnatal period and during both pre- and postnatal periods was associated with behavioral problems in children. Abnormal emotional symptoms (internalizing problems) were related to ETS exposure in children who were exposed during the pre- and postnatal periods with an OR of 1.72 (95% Confidence Interval (CI)= 1.36-2.17), whereas the OR was estimated to be 1.38 (95% CI= 1.12-1.69) in the case of postnatal exposure only. Abnormal conduct problems (externalizing problems) were related to ETS exposure in children who were exposed during the pre- and postnatal periods with an OR of 1.94 (95% CI= 1.51-2.50), whereas the OR was estimated to be 1.47 (95% CI=1.17-1.84) in the case of postnatal exposure only. Effect estimates were adjusted for gender, study center, ethnic origin, child age, low parental education, current physician diagnosed asthma, siblings, preterm birth and single parenthood. CONCLUSION: Postnatal ETS exposure, alone or in association with prenatal exposure, increases the risk of behavioral problems in school-age children.