[Exposure to environmental tobacco smoke at home increases the need for medical attention for respiratory diseases in childhood]. / La exposición al humo de tabaco en el hogar aumenta la frecuentación por patología respiratoria en la infancia.

OBJECTIVES: Children are highly vulnerable to damage from passive smoking as they are unable to avoid environmental tobacco, if present. Some reports have suggested that domestic exposure to environmental tobacco smoke can increase respiratory diseases in children. The aim of this study was to assess whether domestic passive smoking is associated with new respiratory events. METHODS: A descriptive, retrospective study was performed of 410 children aged less than 14 years old. The variables studied were: a) smokers in the household, b) the number of cigarettes smoked per day, c) school attendance, d) the number of siblings, e) previous respiratory diseases among parents and siblings, f) maternal smoking in pregnancy, and g) the number of respiratory events recorded in the previous year. Univariate, bivariate and multivariate analyses were performed. RESULTS: A total of 50.2 % of the children cohabited with smokers at home. The mean number of upper respiratory tract events per child living in environments free of tobacco smoke was 2.53 versus 3.52 when one of the household members smoked. For respiratory disease as a whole, an inverse association with age was found [OR = 0.83; (95 % CI: 0.76-0.90)] and a direct association was found with maternal smoking [OR = 4.56 (95 % CI; 1.84-11.34)]. With upper respiratory tract disease, the OR was 1.4 if the mother smoked 11-20 cigarettes/day, and was 1.9 if the number of cigarettes was > 20. With lower respiratory diseases, the odds ratio was 3.48 (95 % CI; 2.07-6.06) if the mother smoked. CONCLUSIONS: Fifty percent of the children studied were exposed to environmental tobacco smoke in the home. Younger children were at higher risk. The major risk factor for respiratory disease was maternal smoking and the risk increased with the number of cigarettes smoked. Health education is essential to protect children from tobacco smoke exposure.

La exposición al humo de tabaco en el hogar aumenta la frecuentación por patología respiratoria en la infancia / Exposure to environmental tobacco smoke at home increases the need for medical attention for respiratory diseases in childhood

Objetivos: Los niños son muy vulnerables al tabaquismo pasivo dado que no pueden evitar la exposición al tabaco si ésta se presenta. Hay datos indicativos de que la exposición doméstica al humo de tabaco puede aumentar la patología respiratoria en la infancia. El objetivo de este estudio fue comprobar si la exposición se asociaba a la aparición de nuevos episodios respiratorios. Métodos: Se estudiaron 410 menores de 14 años. Se trata de un estudio retrospectivo descriptivo. Variables: a) fumadores entre los convivientes; b) cigarrillos/día; c) escolarización; d) hermanos; e) antecedentes patológicos respiratorios en los padres/hermanos; f) tabaquismo materno durante la gestación, y g) episodios respiratorios registrados en el ultimo año. Se hizo análisis univariante, bivariante y multivariante. Resultados: El 50,2 % de los niños conviven con fumadores en el hogar. La media de episodios de vías altas por cada niño con hogar libre de exposición al tabaco fue de 2,53 frente a 3,52 episodios que aparecieron en caso de existir fumadores en la casa. Para el conjunto de patología respiratoria se observó relación inversa con la edad: odds ratio (OR): 0,83 (intervalo de confianza del 95 % [IC 95 %]: 0,76-0,90) y directa con el hábito tabáquico de la madre: OR: 4,56 (IC 95 %: 1,84-11,34). Patología de vías altas, si la madre fuma 11-20 cigarrillos, OR: 1,4, y si fuma más de 20, OR: 1,9. Patología de vías bajas, si la madre fuma: OR: 3,48 (IC 95 %: 2,07-6,06). Conclusiones: Uno de cada 2 menores está expuesto al humo de tabaco en el hogar. Los riesgos son mayores cuando menor es la edad. El hábito tabáquico de la madre es el que más influye y se incrementa en función del número de cigarrillos. La educación sanitaria es fundamental para proteger a los niños del humo del tabaco

Objectives: Children are highly vulnerable to damage from passive smoking as they are unable to avoid environmental tobacco, if present. Some reports have suggested that domestic exposure to environmental tobacco smoke can increase respiratory diseases in children. The aim of this study was to assess whether domestic passive smoking is associated with new respiratory events. Methods: A descriptive, retrospective study was performed of 410 children aged less than 14 years old. The variables studied were: a) smokers in the household, b) the number of cigarettes smoked per day, c) school attendance, d) the number of siblings, e) previous respiratory diseases among parents and siblings, f) maternal smoking in pregnancy, and g) the number of respiratory events recorded in the previous year. Univariate, bivariate and multivariate analyses were performed. Results: A total of 50.2 % of the children cohabited with smokers at home. The mean number of upper respiratory tract events per child living in environments free of tobacco smoke was 2.53 versus 3.52 when one of the household members smoked. For respiratory disease as a whole, an inverse association with age was found [OR = 0.83; (95 % CI: 0.76-0.90)] and a direct association was found with maternal smoking [OR = 4.56 (95 % CI; 1.84-11.34)]. With upper respiratory tract disease, the OR was 1.4 if the mother smoked 11-20 cigarettes/day, and was 1.9 if the number of cigarettes was > 20. With lower respiratory diseases, the odds ratio was 3.48 (95 % CI; 2.07-6.06) if the mother smoked. Conclusions: Fifty percent of the children studied were exposed to environmental tobacco smoke in the home. Younger children were at higher risk. The major risk factor for respiratory disease was maternal smoking and the risk increased with the number of cigarettes smoked. Health education is essential to protect children from tobacco smoke exposure

[The evaluation of the preventive services for the pediatric population in Agaronese health centers]. / Evaluación de las actividades preventivas en poblagión infantil de centros de salud aragoneses.

BACKGROUND: We have shown the coverage of periodic health examinations made in children aged between 0 and 14 years old in Aragón during 1991, comparing with results obtained at national level and results obtained during 1990. METHODS: A descriptive transversal study was developed by reviewing clinic records of 9 primary health centers selected by systematic sampling. Sampling consisted on 436 histories. RESULTS: Main results were: age of child in the first visit: 83.5% below 1 month; metabolic disease screening: no data on 31.8%; DTP-polio: no data on 20.9%; triple viric: no data on 24.3%. CONCLUSIONS: Obtained data showed better results than those at national level. We should improve the metabolic diseases screening and vaccinations recording system.

[Quality control in the process of health care of infants]. / Control de calidad en el proceso de atención a la salud del lactante.

We are having an internal, retrospective audic of 302 medical care histories corresponding to all infants between 0 and 18 months registered at the health centre between 1st Nov. 1986 and 30th April 1988, with purpose of determining the degree of quality achieved by the professional staff in the completion of the medical records, systematic examinations of health and objectives proposed in the Centre's Program for Infants, similarly assessing the adeherance of patients to the same. We found a level of those registered globally, of 81 por 100 of all analysed data, which we assessed as improvable. The ratio obtained of securance, cover and maintainance of maternal lactancy, the correct iniciation of beikot and vaccination, although satisfactory, did not reach proposed standards except in the maternal lactancy objective initiated, which improved (67.66% vs 60.0%). The ratios relative to the adeherance to and acceptance of the program by the users are satisfactory: the infants who left it constituted only 3.3%. Atendance of those summored is 97.03% and 24% of failures to attend were due to changes of address. We are however proposing concrete corrective measures to make early contact with the gestative mother and the newborn in order to improve the process of health care.