Parents Awareness about Smoking Effects on their Children Health Under 5 Years

Abstract

Background: Millions of children under the age of five are still exposed to tobacco smoke worldwide, and there are multiple adverse effects of it which lead to premature deaths in those children. Aim: The current study aimed to assess parents’ awareness about smoking effects on their children health under 5 years. Research design: A descriptive analytical design was used. Setting: This study was conducted at outpatient pediatric chest clinic in pediatric hospital affiliated to Ain Shams University hospitals. Subject: A purposive sample of 160 parents having children under 5 years with respiratory tract infection. Tools: Three tools were used for collecting data: I: An interviewing questionnaire sheet. II: An assessment growth and development scale. III: The medical record. Results: The study results revealed that, less than three quarters of fathers and a little of mothers were smokers, but most of them were exposed to passive smoking. More than three quarters of them had unsatisfactory knowledge and less than two third of them had inadequate practices about prevention of smoking effects on their children’s health and more than two fifth of them had poor smoking habits at home. More than two thirds of the studied sample of children was under weight and height while half of them had poor development level. Also more than one quarter of studied children suffered from nasal congestion, sinusitis, cough with sputum, bronchial asthma, and anemia. Conclusion: There was highly significant relation between parents’ knowledge about smoking effects, home environment and their children’s health status. Recommendations: The study recommended that, periodical health education for parents for raising their awareness about effect of smoking on their children health, counseling sessions for parents about cessation of smoking, periodical checkup for children whose parents are smokers.