Correlation between Domestic Cigarette Smoke Exposure and Respiratory Complaints, Hospitalization and School Absence due to Respiratory Complains in the Indonesian Elementary School-Aged Children.

Over 43 million Indonesian children who are exposed to cigarette smoke are at risk of having health hazard and morbidities.

The aim of this study is to identify the correlation between cigarette smoke exposure and respiratory complaints, hospitalization, as well as school absence due to respiratory complaints in elementary school-aged Indonesian children.

A cross-sectional study was conducted in nonsmoking elementary school-aged children. Participants were categorized into the exposed and unexposed groups based on the report of their parents. Questionnaire-retrieved data were analyzed to identify the correlation between cigarette smoke exposure and respiratory complaints, hospitalization, as well as school absence due to respiratory complaints in elementary school-aged children.

A total of 128 study participants of nonsmoking children aged 6-12 years (mean 9.8 ± standard deviation 1.6 years) were categorized into 64 children exposed and 64 children unexposed to domestic cigarette smoking. There was a significant correlation between smoking exposure and cough episodes as well as upper respiratory infection in children within the past 12 months. A cough episode of ≥3 times/year was found more prevalent in exposed children compared to the unexposed children (26.6% vs. 9.4%; P < 0.05). Cough ≥3 times/year was found in 50% of children exposed to cigarette smoke of a smoker with a smoking habit of >10 cigarettes/day. There was a correlation between cigarette smoke exposure and hospitalization frequency of ≥1 time(s)/year due to respiratory complaints in children (P < 0.05).

Cigarette smoke exposure is correlated with complaints of cough, upper respiratory tract infection, and hospitalization due to respiratory complaints in children.