Association of Environmental tobacco smoke exposure with depression among non-smoking adults

Background Depression is a psychological dysfunction that impairs health and quality of life. However, whether environmental tobacco smoke exposure (ETSE) is associated with depression is poorly understood. This study was designed to evaluate the association of ETSE with depression among non-smoking adults in the United States. Method Using the 2015–2016 United States National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), we identified 2623 adults (females – 64.2%, males – 35.8%) who had never smoked and applied multivariable adjusted-logistic regression to determine the adjusted odds ratio (aOR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) at P < 0.05 for the association of ETSE with depression adjusting for relevant confounders. Results Mean age of respondents was 46.5 ± 17.9 years, 23.5% reported ETSE, and 4.7% reported depression. Also, aORs for the association of ETSE with depression were 1.992 (1.987, 1.997) among females and 0.674 (0.670, 0.677) among males. When we examined the association by age groups, the aORs were 1.792 (1.787, 1.796) among young adults (< 60 years) and 1.146 (1.140, 1.152) among older adults (≥60 years). Conclusions We found that ETSE was associated with higher odds of depression among females but not among males.

Gestational Hormone Concentrations Are Associated With Timing of Delivery in a Fetal Sex-Dependent Manner

BackgroundEarly delivery remains a significant public health problem that has long-lasting impacts on mother and child. Understanding biological mechanisms underlying timing of labor, including endocrine disruption, can inform prevention efforts.MethodsGestational hormones were measured among 976 women in PROTECT, a longitudinal birth cohort in Puerto Rico. We evaluated associations between hormone concentrations at 18 and 26 weeks gestation and gestational age at birth, while assessing effect modification by fetal sex. Exploratory analyses assessed binary outcomes of overall preterm birth (PTB, &lt;37 weeks gestation) and the spontaneous PTB subtype, defined as preterm premature rupture of membranes, spontaneous preterm labor, or both. Multivariable logistic and linear regressions were fit using visit-specific hormone concentrations, and fetal sex-specific effects were estimated using interaction terms. Main outcome models were adjusted for maternal age, education, marital status, alcohol consumption, environmental tobacco smoke exposure, and pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI). Exploratory models adjusted for maternal age and education.ResultsWe observed reduced gestational age at birth with higher circulating CRH (β: -2.73 days, 95% CI: -4.97, -0.42), progesterone (β: -4.90 days, 95% CI: -7.07, -2.73), and fT4 concentrations (β: -2.73 days, 95% CI: -4.76, -0.70) at 18 weeks specifically among male fetuses. Greater odds of overall and spontaneous PTB were observed among males with higher CRH, estriol, progesterone, total triiodothyronine (T3), and free thyroxine (fT4) concentrations. Greater odds of PTB among females was observed with higher testosterone concentrations.ConclusionsVarious associations between hormones and timing of delivery were modified by fetal sex and timing of hormone measurement. Future studies are needed to understand differential mechanisms involved with timing of labor between fetal sexes.

Estimating the equity impacts of the smoking ban in England on cotinine levels: a regression discontinuity design

ObjectiveTo estimate the equity impacts of the 2007 smoking ban in England, for both smokers and non-smokers.DesignDoubly robust regression discontinuity analysis of salivary cotinine levels. Conditional average treatment effects were used to estimate differential impacts of the ban by socioeconomic deprivation (based on the Index of Multiple Deprivation). Distributional impacts were further assessed using conditional quantile treatment effects and inequality treatment effects.SettingIn 2007, England introduced a ban on smoking in public places. This had little impact on tobacco consumption by smokers but was associated with decreases in environmental tobacco smoke exposure for non-smokers. However, the impact of the ban on socioeconomic inequalities in exposure is unclear.Participants766 smokers and 2952 non-smokers responding to the Health Survey for England in 2007.Outcome measureLevels of salivary cotinine.ResultsBefore the ban, socioeconomic deprivation was associated with higher cotinine levels for non-smokers but not for smokers. The ban caused a significant reduction in average cotinine levels for non-smokers (p=0.043) but had no effect for smokers (p=0.817). Reductions for non-smokers were greater for more deprived groups with higher levels of exposure, and there was a significant reduction in socioeconomic-related inequality in cotinine. Across the whole population (both smokers and non-smokers), there was no significant increase in the concentration of cotinine levels among the socioeconomically deprived.ConclusionThe 2007 ban on smoking in public places had little impact on smokers, but was, as intended, associated with reductions in both (1) average levels of environmental tobacco smoke exposure and (2) deprivation-related inequality in exposure among non-smokers.

Early Childhood Health-Protective Behavior Against Environmental Tobacco Smoke Exposure in Households

Children who live in agricultural, coastal, and industrial areas are at risk of experiencing diseases due to their exposure to environmental tobacco smoke because a lot of smokers live in these areas. The objective of this study is to determine the differences in health-protective behavior of parents who have children in the geographical residence. The study used a quantitative approach, cross-sectional design, and purposive sampling. There are 175 parents with children under five years who live in coastal, agricultural, and industrial areas in Semarang, Central Java, Indonesia. Data collection was performed using a questionnaire. The dependent variable was the health-protective behavior of parents with children against exposure to cigarette smoke, while the independent variable was the geographical residence. The one-way ANOVA test was used to measure differences in the health-protective behavior of parents living in these areas. The results showed that there was no difference in the parental health-protective behavior in an agricultural, coastal, and industrial region (p=0.091, p>0.05). In conclusion, the respondents exhibit health-protective behavior that dies not fully control exposure to environmental tobacco smoke.