CDC Report: Children With Asthma Use Tobacco More Often Than Their Healthy Peers
Children with asthma are more likely to use tobacco products compared with those who do not have asthma, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Researchers at the CDC arrived at this conclusion following an analysis of data from the 2016 Florida Youth Tobacco Survey, which was geared toward middle (n = 36,082) and high school students (n = 33,558) in Florida with or without a previous medical diagnosis of asthma. The survey was conducted by the Florida Department of Health.
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Respondents were prompted for information regarding current tobacco use—defined as at least 1 day of use within the past 30 days of at least 1 of 5 types of tobacco products: cigarettes, electronic cigarettes, hookah, smokeless tobacco, and cigars.
Based on the survey, the researchers found that 11.1% of middle school students and 27.9% of high school students with asthma had reported any current use of tobacco products, compared with 7.9% of middle school students and 24.2% of high school students without asthma.
E-cigarettes were found to be the most commonly used tobacco product. E-cigarette use was reported by approximately 7.9% middle school students and 19.6% high school students with asthma compared with 5.8% of middle school students and 17.2% of high school students without asthma.
The authors of the report emphasize that nicotine use among youths is unsafe and that the use of combustible tobacco products, especially cigarettes, is associated with worsening symptoms, poor asthma control, and an increased need for medical management.
“Statewide tobacco prevention strategies, particularly among youths with asthma, coupled with other proven interventions, are important to reducing all forms of tobacco product use among youths,” the researchers wrote. “As the diversity of tobacco products increases, measures to educate youths about the health risks for all tobacco product types are warranted, particularly among those with asthma.”
—Christina Vogt
Reference:
Reid KM, Forrest JR, Porter L. Tobacco product use among youths with and without lifetime asthma — Florida, 2016. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2018;67:599-601. http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm6721a2
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