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Smoking in cars in England: a study of school students in an English city

Bogdanovica, Ilze; Szatkowski, Lisa; Britton, John; McNeill, Ann

Smoking in cars in England: a study of school students in an English city Thumbnail


Authors

John Britton

Ann McNeill



Abstract

Background

Exposure to secondhand smoke is associated with an increased risk of adverse health effects among children. Although smoking in the home is an established major source of exposure, less is known about rules on smoking in cars.

Methods

In a survey including a sample of secondary school students in Nottingham (UK) in 2012, participants were asked whether smoking was allowed in the family car, and how often the respondent travelled in a car in which smoking was allowed. Rules on smoking in cars were investigated in relation to socio-demographic variables and whether children had ever smoked themselves using logistic regression.

Results

Of 4,190 students aged 11–16 who provided data, approximately 12% reported that smoking was allowed in their family car and 35% that they travelled in a car where smoking was allowed at least sometimes. Absence of smoke free rules in the family car was more likely to be reported by children from more disadvantaged families, if parents and friends were smokers and if smoking was allowed in the main home. These factors, and having a sibling who smokes, were also independently associated with an increased risk of travelling in a car in which smoking was allowed at least sometimes. Respondents who were not protected from secondhand smoke in the car were also more likely to have ever smoked (adjusted odds ratio 1.59, 95% CI 1.18-2.14).

Conclusions

Absence of smoke free rules in a family car and travelling in a car where smoking was allowed was relatively common among secondary school students, was strongly related to social disadvantage and a higher risk of smoking experimentation. Measures to prevent such exposure are therefore indicated.

Citation

Bogdanovica, I., Szatkowski, L., Britton, J., & McNeill, A. (2014). Smoking in cars in England: a study of school students in an English city. BMC Public Health, 14, Article 559. https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2458-14-559

Journal Article Type Article
Publication Date Jun 5, 2014
Deposit Date Jan 25, 2016
Publicly Available Date Mar 29, 2024
Journal BMC Public Health
Electronic ISSN 1471-2458
Publisher Springer Verlag
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 14
Article Number 559
DOI https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2458-14-559
Keywords Smoking in cars, England, Deprivation
Public URL https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/731057
Publisher URL http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2458/14/559

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