| Passive smoking as a risk factor of anemia in young children aged 0–35 months in Jordan |
| Authors: |
Rathavuth Hong, Jose A Betancourt and Martin Ruiz-Beltran |
| Source: |
BMC Pediatrics, 2007, 7:16 doi:10.1186/1471-2431-7-16 |
| Topic(s): |
Anemia
Child health
Tobacco use
|
| Country: |
Asia
Jordan
|
| Published: |
APR 2007 |
| Abstract: |
Abstract
Background: Passive smoking unfavorably affects pregnancy, child birth and child health. Passive
smoking associates with still-birth, premature birth as well as acute respiratory infection, asthma,
disorder in red blood cell metabolism in children. This study examined the effects of passive
smoking on anemia in young children in Jordan.
Methods: The analysis based on the information from 740 children aged 0–35 months that were
tested for hemoglobin levels included in the 2002 Jordan Population and Family Health Survey. This
study used multivariate logistic regression method to analyze the effect of passive smoking on
anemia in young children in Jordan, controlling for a number of risk factors and confounding factors
for anemia.
Results: Results indicated that independent of other risk factors and confounding factors, anemia
in young children was strongly positively associated with exposure to passive smoking from both
parents (OR= 2.99, p < 0.01). Severely undernourished children were at higher risk of anemia
independent of passive smoking and other risk factors (OR= 5.29, p < 0.05). Children age 24–35
months, children born to mothers age 35–49, and children lived in households with a hygienic toilet
facility were less likely to suffer from anemia.
Conclusion: Passive smoking from both parents was strongly positively associated with anemia in
young children in Jordan independent of other risk factors and confounding factors. The results
support the importance of smoking prevention during and after pregnancy that prevent childhood
anemia and others morbidities in young children. |
| Web: |
http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2431/7/16 |
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