Chinese Pediatrician Attitudes and Practices Regarding Child Exposure to Secondhand Smoke (SHS) and Clinical Efforts against SHS Exposure

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health

Kaiyong Huang¹  Abu S. Abdullah²  Haiying Huo¹  Jing Liao³  Li Yang¹  Zhiyong Zhang¹  Hailian Chen¹  Guangmin Nong³  Jonathan P. Winickoff⁴ 

[1] School of Public Health, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi 530021, China; E-Mails:;Global Health Program, Duke Kunshan University, Kunshan, Jiangsu 215347, China;Department of Pediatrics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi 530021, China; E-Mails:;Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) Center for Child and Adolescent Health Research and Policy, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA; E-Mail:

关键词: pediatrician;    secondhand smoke;    exposure;    smoking cessation;   

DOI  :  10.3390/ijerph120505013

来源: mdpi

【 摘 要 】

Background: Secondhand Smoke (SHS) exposure is a leading cause of childhood illness and premature death. Pediatricians play an important role in helping parents to quit smoking and reducing children’s SHS exposure. This study examined Chinese pediatricians’ attitudes and practices regarding children’s exposure to SHS and clinical efforts against SHS exposure. Methods: A cross-sectional survey of pediatricians was conducted in thirteen conveniently selected hospitals in southern China, during September to December 2013. Five hundred and four pediatricians completed self-administered questionnaires with a response rate of 92%. χ² tests were used to compare categorical variables differences between smokers and non-smokers and other categorical variables. Results: Pediatricians thought that the key barriers to encouraging parents to quit smoking were: lack of professional training (94%), lack of time (84%), resistance to discussions about smoking (77%). 94% of the pediatricians agreed that smoking in enclosed public places should be prohibited and more than 70% agreed that smoking should not be allowed in any indoor places and in cars. Most of the pediatricians thought that their current knowledge on helping people to quit smoking and SHS exposure reduction counseling was insufficient. Conclusions: Many Chinese pediatricians did not have adequate knowledge about smoking and SHS, and many lacked confidence about giving cessation or SHS exposure reduction counseling to smoking parents. Lack of professional training and time were the most important barriers to help parents quit smoking among the Chinese pediatricians. Intensified efforts are called for to provide the necessary professional training and increase pediatricians’ participation in the training.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© 2015 by the authors; licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.