Social inequalities in parents knowledge about children passive smoking

Introduction. The purpose of this study was to assess parents' knowledge of the environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) exposure risks for their children health. Factors influencing knowledge were studied especially possible social inequalities. Factors influencing ETS were also studied. Methods. In this observational study, 154 questionnaires were completed by parents in primary care and hospital settings in two French cities. The first part screened for ETS. The second part explored the socio-demographic characteristics of the parents. The last part involved 10 multiple choices questions assessing parents' knowledge of the ETS risks for their children health. Results. Average rating for the whole questionnaire was 9/10. The most frequent mistake was the risk of sudden infant death syndrom. Parents who exposed their children to ETS had a significantly lower score (p=0.004). Multivariate analysis showed an association between the father's qualification and the children's ETS exposure (p=0.019). Conclusion. These findings suggest that the parents' level of education influences ETS exposure of children. A targeted information should be given to the most vulnerable populations.