Social deprivation and secondhand smoke exposure among urban male residents: A nationwide study in China

INTRODUCTION: Social deprivation is a known determinant of health and related behaviors. Many studies have linked socioeconomic factors to secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure. However, no studies have examined the relationship between social deprivation and SHS exposure. This study examined whether contextual social deprivation – variously based on living in a house without a car, that was overcrowded, or had an unemployed member (s) – had an independent association with SHS exposure at both individual and regional levels among Chinese residents. METHODS: A cross-sectional multistage sampling design was utilized to interview subjects from 6 selected cities in China. A standardized questionnaire selected sociodemographic characteristics, contextual social deprivation and SHS exposure. Multilevel logistic regression models were used to assess the association between social deprivation and SHS exposure. RESULTS: A total of 5782 valid questionnaires were collected in this study. Among 2930 non-smokers, the SHS exposure prevalence was 21.9% (95% CI: 19.5– 24.30). Multilevel logistic regression showed a negative association between household income, regional GDP, and SHS exposure, respectively, and positive associations between contextual social deprivation and SHS exposure. CONCLUSIONS: Findings support the central proposition that contextual social deprivation must be factored into SHS exposure messages. Our research underscores the importance of reducing health inequality in controlling SHS exposure.