Roken in aanwezigheid van zuigelingen; een enquête onder consultatiebureau-ouders

To determine the exposure to cigarette smoke of infants aged 0-14 months.

Design

Cross-sectional.

Setting

The area of Westfriesland, the Netherlands.

Method

All parents of infants 8 days, 3, 5, 9, and 14 months old who visited the infant welfare centre in 1992 were asked to fill in a questionnaire.

Results

The questionnaire was filled in by 75 of the parents. Smoking before pregnancy was reported by 38 of th mothers, 25 smoked for more than 12 weeks during pregnancy. Almost 50 of all infants were exposed to cigarette smoke at home: 31 of the fathers, 27 of the mothers and 21 others smoked at home. The number of parents who smoked ≥ 16 cigarettes a day at home was significantly higher in the weekend than on working days. Nobody smoked in the bedroom of the infant, 42 smoked in the living room, 21 smoked during nursing the infant and 11 smoked in the car in the presence of the infant.

Conclusion

Infants are often exposed to cigarette smoke at home, during nursing and in the car.