Review: parental tobacco smoke increases the risk of asthma and respiratory symptoms in school age children
Question In school age children, is exposure to parental (environmental) tobacco smoke associated with an increased risk of asthma and respiratory symptoms?
Studies were identified with Medline and Embase searched to April 1997 using the terms tobacco smoke pollution; passive, second hand, involuntary, parent, maternal, mother, paternal, father or household; and smok—with various endings, tobacco or cigarette. Bibliographies of relevant studies were also reviewed.
Studies were selected if they evaluated school age children (5–16 y) and both exposure to parental tobacco smoke and respiratory symptoms or asthma were assessed.
Data were extracted on year of publication, country of study, population characteristics including age, symptoms (asthma, wheeze, chronic cough, chronic phlegm, and breathlessness), symptom definitions, exposures (1 parent, both parents, and mother or …