Prevalence of secondhand smoke exposure at home and associated factors among middle school students in Northern Thailand

INTRODUCTION: One-third of youths in Thailand will be exposed to secondhand smoke (SHS) from family members who are smokers. This research aims to study the prevalence of and factors associated with SHS exposure at home among middle school students in Northern Thailand. METHODS: This study used a cross-sectional survey. The sample was 780 middle school students in Northern Thailand. A self-administered questionnaire was used for data collection and analyses were performed using a chi-squared test and multiple logistic regression. RESULTS: Of the respondents, 46.8% reported that they had been exposed to SHS at home. The main SHS sources were from fathers (45.4%), relatives (24.1%), siblings (12.4%), mothers (3.3%), and neighbours and guests (14.8%). The factors associated with SHS exposure at home included: household members who were smokers (OR=7.43; 95% CI: 5.17–10.68; p<0.001), home without a smoke-free rule (OR=3.40; 95% CI: 1.85–6.24; p<0.001), household members who were alcohol drinkers (OR=2.29; 95% CI: 1.59–3.30; p<0.001), and living in homes with ≤3 rooms (OR=1.79; 95% CI: 1.21–2.63; p=0.003). CONCLUSIONS: Thai student’s exposure to SHS at home is high, especially when household members smoke and they live in a home without a smoke-free rule. Our findings highlight the need for policies and interventions to establish smoke-free homes.