Second hand smoke “a threat to child's health and development”

• Main Author: Seye Omiyefa
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: European Publishing 2018-03-01
• Series: Tobacco Induced Diseases
• Subjects: WCTOH
• Online Access: http://www.journalssystem.com/tid/Second-hand-smoke-8220-a-threat-to-child-s-health-and-development-8221-,83779,0,2.html

Background According to the Global Youth Tobacco Survey 2008, 25.9% students in Lagos Nigeria currently live in homes where others smoke in their presence, 43.1% are around others who smoke in places outside their home, 14.6% of the students currently use any tobacco product. 38.9% think smoke from others is harmful to them, 5.0% have one or more parents who smoke while 2.4% have most or all friends who smoke. It is evident that second-hand smoke causes many of the same diseases as direct smoking, including cardiovascular diseases, lung cancer, and respiratory diseases. Methods A descriptive cross sectional study was carried out in Ibadan, involving students who doesn't attend schools regularly in 10 schools in Ibadan Oyo State, Nigeria. A multistage cluster random sampling was employed to select 300 students in the schools. Data was collected using structured questionnaires by trained interviewers. Results The result revealed that 141 (47%) were within the age group 15 to 17 years, 110 (36.7%) were within the age group 12 to 14 years while 49 (16.3%) of the respondents were within the age group 18 to 20 years. Ninety one (30.3%) of the respondents live with both parents, 79 (26.3%) live with relatives, 66 (22%) live with father alone while 64 (21.3%) also live with mother alone. A majority, 149 (49.7%) have relatives, parents or siblings who smoke around them, 123 (41%) have experienced sicknesses related to pneumonia and 90 (30%) have experience asthma. The result further showed that about 268 (89.4%) students not attending school regularly are attributed to second hand smoking related illnesses. Conclusions Since Second Hand Smoke affects a child's health, education and overall development in Ibadan, Oyo State Nigeria. The State government should intensify effort towards domestication of the National Tobacco Control Law in Oyo State.