Smoking behaviours and indoor air quality: a comparative analysis of smoking-permitted versus smoke-free homes in Dhaka, Bangladesh

Tarana Ferdous*, Kamran Siddiqi, Sean Semple, Caroline Fairhurst, Ruaraidh Dobson, Noreen Mdege, Anna Marie Marshall, S. M. Abdullah, Rumana Huque

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Introduction: Exposure to secondhand smoke (SHS) is a health risk to non-smokers. Indoor particulate matter (PM2.5) is associated with SHS exposure and is used as a proxy measure. However, PM2.5 is non-specific and influenced by a number of environmental factors, which are subject to geographical variation. The nature of association between SHS exposure and indoor PM2.5-studied primarily in high-income countries (HICs) context-may not be globally applicable. We set out to explore this association in a low/middle-income country setting, Dhaka, Bangladesh. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among households with at least one resident smoker. We inquired whether smoking was permitted inside the home (smoking-permitted homes, SPH) or not (smoke-free homes, SFH), and measured indoor PM2.5 concentrations using a low-cost instrument (Dylos DC1700) for at least 22 hours. We describe and compare SPH and SFH and use multiple linear regression to evaluate which variables are associated with PM2.5 level among all households. Results: We surveyed 1746 households between April and August 2018; 967 (55%) were SPH and 779 (45%) were SFH. The difference between PM2.5 values for SFH (median 27 μg/m3, IQR 25) and SPH (median 32 μg/m3, IQR 31) was 5 μg/m3 (p<0.001). Lead participant's education level, being a non-smoker, having outdoor space and smoke-free rule at home and not using kerosene oil for cooking were significantly associated with lower PM2.5. Conclusions: We found a small but significant difference between PM2.5 concentrations in SPH compared with SFH in Dhaka, Bangladesh-a value much lower than observed in HICs.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)444-451
Number of pages8
JournalTobacco Control
Volume31
Early online date16 Dec 2020
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 21 Apr 2022

Bibliographical note

© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2020. This is an author-produced version of the published paper. Uploaded in accordance with the publisher’s self-archiving policy.

Keywords

  • environment
  • global health
  • low/middle income country
  • secondhand smoke
  • socioeconomic status

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