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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Recorded presentation

Vaughan W. Rees, PhD and Gregory N. Connolly, DMD, MPH. Division of Public Health Practice, Harvard School of Public Health, 677 Huntington Ave, Landmark Building, Level 3 East, Boston, MA 02115, 617-496 1395, vrees@hsph.harvard.edu

Secondhand tobacco smoke (SHS) is a major, preventable contributor to acute and chronic adverse health outcomes which affect children disproportionately. The predominant cause of SHS among children is domestic exposure and while up to two-thirds of US households have car smoking bans, an unacceptable number of children remain vulnerable. To help promote more effective protection through legislation, health communication strategies or behavioral interventions, data demonstrating the adverse effect of SHS on air quality in cars are needed. SHS in a motor vehicle under actual driving conditions was monitored by measuring respirable suspended particles (RSPs) of less than 2.5 micron diameter, and carbon monoxide. Forty-five driving trials were conducted, using teams of volunteer drivers and smokers recruited from the general community. Three smoking conditions (non-smoking baseline, active smoking and immediate post-smoking period) and two ventilation conditions (windows open, closed) were employed in a 3 x 2 within-sessions factorial design. Peak RSP levels of 505 ug/m3 (Closed) and 104 ug/m3 (Open) were found, which are considered unsafe for children. RSPs and CO increased significantly from baseline after smoking, and these increases were greatest during the closed ventilation condition, compared with ventilation open (p's < 0.01). The data demonstrate that private passenger cars are a domestic environment with the potential to yield unsafe levels of SHS contaminants. These data may assist policy makers and health advocates to promote protective strategies to ensure smoke-free domestic environments for children.

Learning Objectives:

• Articulate methods for measuring secondhand smoke in cars
• Describe use of air quality data in promoting smokee free cars for children
• Discuss policy options for protecting children from secondhand smoke in cars

Keywords: Tobacco Control, Children and Adolescents

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No

Recorded presentation