Tobacco smoke exposure and inadequate sleep among US school-aged children

Objective/background: Inadequate sleep and tobacco smoke exposure (TSE) have been separately linked to adverse childhood health consequences. Our objective was to assess the association between home TSE status and inadequate sleep among U.S. school-aged children. Methods: We analyzed 2018-2019 National Survey of Children's Health data, and included 17,851 children ages 6-11 years. Children were classified into three parent-report TSE groups: (1) did not live with a smoker (no TSE at home); (2) lived with a smoker who did not smoke inside the home (thirdhand smoke (THS) exposure only); and (3) lived with a smoker who smoked inside the home (secondhand smoke (SHS) and THS exposure). Parent-report of inadequate sleep on most weeknights was defined as <9 h, following age-specific national guidelines. We fitted a weighted multivariable logistic model to assess the association between TSE groups and inadequate sleep, adjusting for child covariates (sociodemographics, overweight status, health status, physical activity, and screen time). Results: About 13% and 1% of school-aged children were exposed to home THS only and home SHS and THS, respectively; approximately 36% overall had inadequate sleep. Compared to children with no TSE at home, children who were exposed to home THS only had higher odds of inadequate sleep (AOR = 1.44, 95%CI = 1.20-1.73); those exposed to home SHS and THS had higher odds of inadequate sleep (AOR = 1.83, 95%CI = 1.20-2.78). Conclusions: TSE is associated with school-aged children having inadequate sleep, even when smokers did not smoke inside the home. Promoting parental smoking cessation is essential to fully protect children from related risks. (c) 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

This study aimed to assess the association between home tobacco smoke exposure status and inadequate sleep among U.S. school-aged children. Results indicated that children exposed to home thirdhand smoke and home secondhand smoke with thirdhand smoke had higher odds of inadequate sleep, emphasizing the need to promote parental smoking cessation to fully protect children from related risks.