 | The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA |
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| The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA |
Delia Santana, RN, MSN/MPH, CNS and Barbara Smith, RN, MSN/MPH, CNS. South Bay Service Planning Area 8, Los Angeles County Department of Health Services Public Health Programs, Curtis Tucker Health Center, 123 West Manchester Blvd, Inglewood, CA 90301
ABSTRACT
SECONDHAND SMOKE PREVENTION PROJECT
In an interdisciplinary public health team effort, the decision was made that tobacco use was a major public health problem for SPA 8. As a result, a secondhand smoke prevention project was implemented.
According to Healthy People 2010, 27% of children age 6 and under lived in a household where someone smoked inside the house at least 4 days per week in 1994. Children exposed to secondhand smoke are more likely to have reduced lung function and symptoms of respiratory irritation. The percentage of children ages 0-5 regularly exposed to tobacco smoke in the home was 9.9% for SPA 8 and 6.5% for Los Angeles County. In SPA 8, the prevalence of smoking among adults was reported as 18.4%. SPA 8 had the second largest number of adults who smoked in 1999 compared to the rest of Los Angeles County.
Based on the assessment data it is diagnosed that there is a high prevalence of children exposed to secondhand smoke in SPA 8 compared to Los Angeles County as a whole. Therefore, the public health team selected 3 preschools in the Lennox School District as their population of interest.
The project’s outcome objectives are to reduce the proportion of children ages 3 to 5 exposed to secondhand smoke in the home and the car and to decrease the number of caregivers who smoke. Related intermediate and process objectives were developed to steer the project.
Learning Objectives:
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.