ABSTRACT
PURPOSE: The actual state of the accidental ingestion of tobacco products by children and awareness of guardians against its hazards were investigated through a survey among guardians of kindergartenaged children. METHODS: Self-reporting questionnaires were distributed to the guardians of children enrolled in nurseries and kindergartens in cities located in eastern Hiroshima prefecture. Responses of 417 guardians (response rate, 80.5%) were analyzed. The total number of children was reported to be 796 (429 boys, 366 girls, 1 gender unreported) of which 72.2% were under 6 years of age. RESULTS: Based on the survey, 54.4% of fathers and 12.2% of mothers were smokers. Taking into account the presence of other smoking adults such as grandparents, the percentage of families with smokers was 64.3%. Accidental ingestion of tobacco products and the rate including attempted ingestion of tobacco were reported in 15.7% and 28.7% of the families with smokers, respectively. With regard to storage of tobacco and ashtrays, 36.2% of the families with smokers did not store these out of the reach of children, and 7.5% were unaware of the need for a separate storage area. Only 50% of the guardians were aware of the hazards of nicotine exudates. 84.0% of the families with smokers agreed that children should be protected from passive smoking for maintaining good health and growth. However, only 25.0% of the families with smokers had a guardians who actually protected children from passive smoking. CONCLUSION: The results of the survey indicated that 64.3% of families with preschool-age children had smoking members. Tobacco products were not appropriately stored out of the reach of children. Moreover, several cases of accidental ingestion of tobacco products by children had occurred in families with smokers. Furthermore, it was indicated that many children were exposed to passive smoking, although most guardians were aware of its risks.
