This annual report - Taranaki District Health Board

SECOND-HAND CIGARETTE SMOKE EXPOSUREIntroductionChildren living in households with smokers are at risk of the adverse effects of secondhandsmoke [103]. For example, children exposed to second-hand smoke are at increasedrisk of sudden infant death syndrome, lower respiratory illnesses, middle ear illnesses, andrespiratory symptoms including asthma and impaired lung function [103,104]. It has alsobeen estimated that second-hand smoke exposure contributes to approximately 15,000episodes of childhood asthma, more than 27,000 medical consultations for childhoodrespiratory problems and 1,500 operations to treat glue ear annually in New Zealand [105].Household smoking, particularly by parents, also significantly increases the risk of uptakeof smoking amongst children [106]. While total home smoking bans appear to have someeffect on children’s exposure to cigarette smoke, if carers continue to smoke, childrenremain at risk of second-hand smoke exposure in other settings including in vehicles [103].In the 2009 New Zealand Tobacco Use Survey (5,222 people aged 15 to 64 years),approximately 10% of Households with a child aged 0 to 14 years reported smoking insidethe home [99]. Households with Māori respondents (21.3%, 95% CI 17.4–25.2) weresignificantly more likely to report smoking in the home than those with European/Other(8.9%, 95% CI 7.2–10.6) respondents. Households in the most deprived areas were overfive times more likely to have a smoker than those in the least deprived areas. Similarly inthe 2010 National Year 10 ASH Snapshot Survey, 38.1% of 32,605 year 10 students (14 to15 year olds) reported that one or both parents smoked and 19.1% reported that peoplesmoked inside their home [107]. During 2006–2010 however, there was a significantdecrease in the proportion of Māori, Pacific, European and Asian students reportingsmoking in their home, with the greatest reductions being for Pacific students (adjusted OR0.64, 95% CI 0.57– 0.73).Although smoking rates in New Zealand appear to be falling, research suggests thatsmoking is increasingly concentrated in socioeconomically disadvantaged communities[108]. Further a 2002 study estimated that tobacco expenditure accounted for almost 14%of non-housing related household spending in some low income households [109]. Thuswhile increasing the price of cigarettes through increases in taxation is effective in reducingsmoking prevalence, it also risks increasing financial hardship among socioeconomicallydisadvantaged groups where smoking persists, emphasising the need for comprehensivetobacco control strategies [108].The following section uses data from the National Maternity Collection to review theproportion of babies with mothers who smoked at two weeks after delivery. A later sectionuses Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) survey data to review the proportion of Year 10students with parents who smoked, or who lived in homes where people smoked inside.Maternal Smoking at Two Weeks After DeliveryThe National Maternity Collection (MAT) collates Lead Maternity Carer (LMC) claims data,with information being available on maternal smoking status at two weeks after delivery foraround 80% of all New Zealand births.Data Sources and MethodsIndicator1. Distribution of the number of cigarettes smoked at two weeks after delivery by the mothers of babies born2009−2010Numerator: National Maternity Collection: Number of cigarettes smoked at two weeks after delivery, by themothers of babies born 2009−2010Denominator: National Maternity Collection: Number of babies born.Second-hand Cigarette Smoke Exposure - 199