Passive Smoking and Anemia in Young Children in Jordan
Author Information
Author(s): Hong Rathavuth, Betancourt Jose A, Ruiz-Beltran Martin
Primary Institution: Department of Global Health, School of Public Health and Health Services, the George Washington University
Hypothesis
Does passive smoking from parents increase the risk of anemia in young children aged 0–35 months?
Conclusion
Passive smoking from both parents is strongly associated with anemia in young children in Jordan, regardless of other risk factors.
Supporting Evidence
- Children exposed to passive smoking from both parents are three times as likely to suffer from anemia.
- Severely undernourished children are at a higher risk of anemia.
- Children aged 24–35 months are less likely to suffer from anemia.
Takeaway
If parents smoke, their young children are more likely to have anemia, which means they might not have enough healthy red blood cells.
Methodology
The study used multivariate logistic regression to analyze data from the 2002 Jordan Population and Family Health Survey.
Potential Biases
Potential bias due to non-response rates and the inability to control for all confounding factors.
Limitations
The study could not analyze the dose of passive smoking exposure and did not account for current parasitic infections.
Participant Demographics
Children aged 0–35 months, with a slight majority being boys (53%) and a diverse socioeconomic background.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.01
Statistical Significance
p<0.01
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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