Do Parents Who Smoke Use Health Care Services for Their Children?
Author Information
Author(s): Monique AM Jacobs-van der Bruggen, Alet H Wijga, Bert Brunekreef, Johan C de Jongste, Caroline A Baan, Marjan Kerkhof, Henriette A Smit
Primary Institution: National Institute of Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Bilthoven, The Netherlands
Hypothesis
Parents who smoke may underutilize health services for their children, especially for respiratory care.
Conclusion
Mothers who smoke appear to underutilize health care for their children with mild respiratory symptoms.
Supporting Evidence
- Children with a mother who smokes are less likely to visit the GP for mild respiratory symptoms.
- Maternal smoking is positively associated with mild respiratory symptoms in children.
- The study found no significant differences in health care use for severe respiratory symptoms between smoking and non-smoking parents.
Takeaway
If a mom smokes, her kids with mild breathing problems might not see the doctor as much as they should.
Methodology
Data were collected from the PIAMA project using postal questionnaires and analyzed with multivariate logistic models.
Potential Biases
Self-reported smoking may be biased if parents underreport their smoking habits due to stigma.
Limitations
The study relied on self-reported data for smoking and health care visits, which may lead to underreporting.
Participant Demographics
The study included 3,564 children, with 23% having at least one parent who smoked.
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.006
Confidence Interval
1.19–1.91
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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