Nose and throat complications associated with passive smoking among Congolese school children

Objective

To assess associations between nose-throat (NT) diseases and passive smoking prevalence among school children.

Methods

A cross-sectional survey was carried out on a randomized multistage sample of 381 school children (50.9% males, aged 9.8 ± 3.5 years) from Kinshasa town. Parents and children were asked to fill in a questionnaire detailing their smoking habits. The NT symptoms and diseases were assessed by the survey NT specialist.

Results

The prevalence of passive smoking was 38.6% (n=147). Residence in peripheral areas, catholic school system, elementary level, exposure of family to passive smoking ,history of NT surgery, medicines and menthol inhaling, headache, nasal pain, dysphagia, odynophagia, dysosmia, dysphonia, pharyngeal irritation, dry throat, snooze, and chronic pharyngitis were more reported by passive smokers. After adjusting for confounding factors, passive smoking (OR=16.7 95%CI 3.3–83.3), catholic system(OR=2 95%CI 1.2–3.2), and elementary degree(OR=1.4 95%, CI 1.1–2.1) were identified as independent determinants of chronic pharyngitis.

Conclusion

Parents should not smoke in the same room used by their children.