Pregnant women and children's exposure to tobacco and solid fuel smoke in southwestern India.

OBJECTIVES: To examine factors associated with smoke exposure among pregnant women in rural India. METHODS: We conducted a survey of exposure to second-hand smoke (SHS) and solid fuel smoke (SFS) among 736 pregnant women. Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were computed using logistic regression models to assess the relationship between demographic variables and exposure to SHS and to SFS. RESULTS: While few respondents smoked cigarettes, 19.9% of women and 27.8% of children were frequently or always exposed to SHS, and 43.5% were at high and 46.7% at medium risk for SFE. Low educational levels and illiteracy were associated with exposure. CONCLUSIONS: Smoke exposure is a serious health risk for many poor women and children in India.

Duke Scholars

Author Hrishikesh Chakraborty Biostatistics & Bioinformatics