Exposure to Environmental Tobacco Smoke in Relation to Behavioral, Emotional, Social and Health Indicators of Slovak School Children.

Environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) exposure has been shown in general as a major environmental risk factor and deserves attention in vulnerable population groups. The aim of the project is to analyze the relationships among the ETS and behavior and health in 6−15-year-old children in Slovakia. The status of physical and mental health of children in relation to exposure to tobacco smoke was examined in a representative group of 1478 school children. The methods used, included anonymous questionnaires filled in by parents, Columbia Impairment Scale (CIS), Behavior Problem Index (BPI) and anthropometry. The prevalence of ETS exposure is the highest in the capital (27%) and southern cities. A significant association was found between ETS and age, socio-economic status, incompleteness of the family, level of mother’s education and a higher prevalence of respiratory diseases (26.7%). The relationships of ETS with emotional (CIS scores ≥ 16) and behavioral functions (BPI score ≥ 14) were significant in children exposed to mother’s or father’s smoking at home. In the multivariate analysis these associations were not significant; the factors such as income and completeness of the family were dominant. The results showed mostly the predominant impact of social factors on the physical and mental health status of Slovak school children.

Determinants of ETS exposure in a sample of Slovak pregnant women.

Environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) is one of the greatest and the most frequent environmental toxic exposures presenting a high risk to children and to their mothers as well. The aim of the study was to find determinants of the household ETS in the sample of pregnant women living in the household with smokers and to assess their physical and mental health. The survey was distributed to women being seen for follow-up at the obstetric/gynecology departments in hospitals and at gynecological out-patient departments in Bratislava, Slovakia. The medical outcomes short form-12 (SF-12) was included to quantify the mental and physical health of mothers. From the total sample of 617 women, 35.5% (219) were pregnant, 88.6% of them (194) non-smokers, 27.8% (54) lived with a smoking partner, the average mental component summary (MCS) score was 50.8±9.1 and physical component summary (PCS) score was 41.6±10.3. The average age was 31.3±5.1 years. In the sample of 309 non-pregnant non-smoking mothers 23% (71) lived with a smoking partner; the average age was 31.7±4.8 years. The average PCS score was 47.8±8.7 and MCS score 49.1±9. Non-smoking, pregnant women living with a smoker have fewer years of education (p=0.0003) and lower MCS scores (48.50±9.8) (p=0.03). Non-smoking, non-pregnant women living with a smoker are older (p=0.0042), with lower income (p=0.0145), have fewer years of education (p=0.002) and lower PCS score (45±9.1) (p=0.0056). Multivariate analyses revealed the decrease of MCS score in pregnant women and the decrease of PCS score in non-pregnant women living with a smoker. Our results show that living with a smoker is independently associated with worse physical and mental health in a selected sample of Slovak women, which represents an important argument for intervention in families.