Relationship between Caregivers’ Smoking at Home and Urinary Levels of Cotinine in Children

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health

Yun Wang³  Mei Yang³  Lang Tian²  Zhiqiang Huang⁴  Faming Chen¹  Jingsong Hu¹  Fuzhi Wang³  Gui Chen³  Shuiyuan Xiao³ 

[1] Changsha Central for Disease Control and Prevention, Changsha 410001, China; E-Mails:;Department of Pediatrics, the Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha 410013, China; E-Mail:;Department of Social Medicine and Health Management, School of Public Health, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410078, China; E-Mails:;Academy of Inspection and Quarantine, Changsha 410004, China; E-Mail:

关键词: smoking;    caregiver;    environmental tobacco smoke (ETS);    children;    gas chromatography-triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS);    cotinine;   

DOI  :  10.3390/ijerph111212499

来源: mdpi

【 摘 要 】

Objective: To assess the impact of different smoking behaviors of caregivers on environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) exposure in children aged 5–6 years in Changsha, China. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional, random digit-dial telephone survey of caregivers (n = 543) between August and October 2013. Caregivers’ smoking behaviors were collected by a questionnaire. Exposure assessment was based upon determination of urinary cotinine levels in children employing gas chromatography–triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS). Results: In children not living with a smoker, children living with one smoker, and children living with more than one smoker at home, median urinary cotinine concentrations (ng/mL) were 0.72, 2.97, and 4.46, respectively. For children living with one smoker, median urinary cotinine levels of children exposed to ETS were associated with caregiver smoking behaviors, i.e., if a caregiver consumed more cigarettes (>20 compared with ≤10; 7.73 versus 2.29 ng/mL, respectively). Conclusions: The magnitude of ETS exposure in children is correlated with the smoking behaviors of the caregiver. Counseling for smoking cessation and educational interventions are needed urgently for smoking caregivers to increase their awareness about ETS exposure and to encourage smoking cessation at home or to take precautions to protect children’s health.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© 2014 by the authors; licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.