Influence of passive smoking on learning in elementary school

Abstract

Objective: To analyze the association between household smoking and the development of learning in elementary schoolchildren.

Methods: Cross-sectional study with 785 students from the 2nd to the 5th year of elementary school. Students were evaluated by the School Literacy Screening Protocol to identify the presence of learning disabilities. Mothers/guardians were interviewed at home through a validated questionnaire. Descriptive and bivariate analysis, as well as multivariate Poisson regression, were performed.

Results: In the final model, the variables associated with learning difficulties were current smoking at the household in the presence of the child (PR=6.10, 95% CI: 4.56 to 8.16), maternal passive smoking during pregnancy (PR=1.46, 95% CI: 1.07 to 2.01), students attending the 2nd and 3rd years of Elementary School (PR=1.44, 95% CI: 1.10 to 1.90), and being children of mothers with only elementary level education (PR=1.36, 95% CI: 1.04 to 1.79).

Conclusion: The study demonstrated an association between passive exposure to tobacco smoke and learning difficulties at school.

Keywords: Children; Crianças; Learning disorders; Poluição por fumaça de tabaco; Smoking; Tabagismo; Tobacco smoke pollution; Transtornos de Aprendizagem.