Socioeconomic characteristics, paternal smoking and secondhand tobacco smoke exposure among infants in Jakarta, Indonesia

INTRODUCTION: Prevalence of paternal smoking is high in Asia and babies are vulnerable to secondhand tobacco smoke (SHS) exposure at home. This study assesses socioeconomic characteristics and paternal smoking in households and infants’ exposure to SHS. METHODS: A cross-sectional analysis of data collected as part of a prospective cohort study was conducted in Jakarta, Indonesia during 2017–2019. Participants were 156 mother-baby pairs whose babies reached the age of 6 months. Socioeconomic characteristics and smoking behaviour in the household were assessed by questionnaires. Factors related to paternal smoking and infants’ exposure to SHS were assessed using a multivariate logistic regression model. RESULTS: Almost two-thirds of infants lived with fathers who were smokers. Lower levels of paternal education (OR=2.59; 95% CI: 1.19–5.63; p=0.045) and infants with one sibling (OR=2.41; 95% CI: 1.02–5.67; p=0.044) increased the risk of paternal smoking in the household. Moreover, infants with one sibling (OR=3.09; 95% CI: 1.15–8.32; p=0.026), lower level of father education (OR=18.73; 95% CI: 1.54–227.93; p=0.022), and a high number of other household members who smoke (OR=4.54; 95% CI : 1.42–14.48; p=0.011) were the risk factors of SHS exposure among infants at home. CONCLUSIONS: These findings demonstrate the significant influence of educational level, number of children and/or number of other smokers in the household on paternal smoking and SHS exposure among infants at home. Comprehensive tobacco control programmes to increase adoption of smoke-free homes are likely to be an effective way to reduce SHS exposure and promote decreased cigarette smoking in families with children.