Passive Smoking, Respiratory Symptoms, Lung Function And Initiation Of Smoking In Tecumseh, Michigan.

Health effects of passive smoking were investigated in the pediatric population of Tecumseh, Michigan. The study population consisted of 3608 natural and adopted children aged 0-19 who had smoking habits for both parents available in 1962-65. In 1978-79 76% completed questionnaires and 49% were re-examined. Logistic regression models were developed to assess relationships between parental smoking, incidence and prevalence of respiratory symptoms or illnesses, and smoking behavior. Lung function was adjusted for age and height and expressed as a percent of predicted, or according to rank in quintiles, or in units of volume or flow derived from an analysis of covariance model. Several respiratory conditions at baseline and follow-up were significantly related to parental smoking in 1962-65. Most associations remained significant when parental education, family size, active smoking and parental history of respiratory conditions were taken into account. Generally offspring were 1.5 to 2.0 times as likely to have a respiratory condition if both their parents currently smoked than if neither parent smoked. At baseline FEV(,1) and FVC among males and Vmax(,50) among females were significantly lower (by 5%) for nonsmoking 10-19 year-olds whose parents smoked. Lower lung function present at baseline for offspring who were passively exposed, persisted over the fifteen-year follow-up period. Annual increase in lung function tended to be smallest for offspring exposed to two parental smokers and largest for those unexposed. The number of parental smokers, number of household smokers, duration and amount of parental smoking were also related to prevalence and incidence of respiratory conditions and lung function. Relationships appeared stronger for males and younger ages. Although sample size was small maternal smoking seemed to be more strongly associated with symptom prevalence and lung function than parental smoking. Offspring of parents who smoked were 1 1/2 times as likely to initiate smoking as were offspring whose parents never smoked. Smoking habits of siblings, parental education, the offspring's own educational level and age were also independent predictors of smoking behavior ascertained at follow-up. Offspring who are passively exposed appear to be at increased risk of respiratory conditions, lung function impairment and secondarily of the harmful effects of active smoking.Ph.D.Health and Environmental SciencesPublic healthUniversity of Michigan, Horace H. Rackham School of Graduate Studieshttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/127659/2/8412111.pd