Financial Insecurity and Food Insecurity among U.S. Children with Secondhand and Thirdhand Smoke Exposure

E. Melinda Mahabee-Gittens, Keith A. King, Rebecca A. Vidourek and Ashley L. Merianos
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E. Melinda Mahabee-Gittens: Division of Emergency Medicine, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA
Keith A. King: School of Human Services, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45221, USA
Rebecca A. Vidourek: School of Human Services, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45221, USA
Ashley L. Merianos: School of Human Services, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45221, USA

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 15, 1-11

Abstract: Objectives: Smokers with financial and food insecurity may find it difficult to quit smoking and reduce their children’s tobacco smoke exposure (TSE). The objective was to examine the associations between child TSE and financial and food insecurity among U.S. school-aged children. Methods: We examined the 2018–2019 National Survey of Children’s Health data on 17,484 children 6–11 years old. Children were categorized into TSE groups: (1) No TSE: did not live with a smoker; (2) thirdhand smoke (THS) exposure alone: lived with a smoker who did not smoke inside the home; or (3) secondhand smoke (SHS) and THS exposure: lived with a smoker who smoked inside the home. We conducted weighted logistic, ordinal, and linear regression analyses to assess the relationships between child TSE status and financial and food insecurity, adjusting for covariates. Results: Overall, 13.1% and 1.8% of children had THS exposure alone and SHS and THS exposure, respectively. Compared to children with no TSE, children with THS exposure alone were at 2.17 increased odds (95% CI = 1.83, 2.58, p < 0.001) and children with SHS and THS exposure were at 2.24 increased odds (95% CI = 1.57, 3.19, p < 0.001) of having financial insecurity. Children with THS exposure alone were at 1.92 increased odds (95% CI = 1.58, 2.33, p < 0.001) and children with SHS and THS exposure were at 2.14 increased odds (95% CI = 1.45, 3.16, p < 0.001) of having food insecurity. Conclusions: Children with TSE are at increased risk of experiencing financial and food insecurity. When developing tobacco interventions, a holistic approach to tobacco control that addresses ways to decrease financial and food hardships may improve outcomes.

Keywords: children; tobacco smoke exposure; secondhand smoke; thirdhand smoke; financial insecurity; food insecurity (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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