Abstract

Background: Secondhand smoking confers risk to children’s health. Young children living with smoker parents are exposed to unacceptable health hazards. This study was done to assess the smoking practices of parents regarding passive smoke exposure of their preschool children in Saudi Arabia.
Methodology: This cross-sectional study was conducted in Saudi Arabia in 2019 on parents of Saudi children in preschool. The questions referred to the age of the child, the gender of parents, presence of smokers in the household, and history of respiratory symptoms, respiratory morbidity, and hospitalization for respiratory causes.
Results: The overall prevalence of smoking among parents was 50%. The majority of them were males (70%). Age and gender of parents had no significant effect on passive smoke exposure in children (p > 0.05). However, the educational level of parents and the number of rooms in the house were significant factors correlated with passive smoke exposure in children (p < 0.05).
Conclusion: The low socioeconomic status and low education were identified as risk factors for children’s exposure to secondhand smoking.

Key words: Secondhand smoking, preschool children, respiratory symptoms hospitalization for respiratory causes.