Turkish Pediatrician Beliefs About Third-hand Smoking

Abstract

Although third-hand smoke (THS) is a relatively new concept, it emerges as an important health problem. This study evaluated the beliefs of Turkish Pediatricians about THS. The survey, designed to be self-filled by pediatricians, provided information on demographic data, lifestyle factors, and beliefs about THS. Participant beliefs about THS were evaluated using the Beliefs About Third-Hand Smoke scale. This study was conducted by applying a web-based survey to pediatricians in Turkey. The Beliefs About Third-Hand Smoke scale scores were lower in participants who were male (odds ratio [OR]=1.479; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.246-0.526; p < .001), have children (OR=0.656; 95% CI, 0.156-0.665; p=.002), widowed/separated (OR=0.498; 95% CI, -1.072 to -0.360; p < .001), a smoker (OR=0.586; 95% CI, -0.711 to -0.355; p < .001), worked in State Hospital (OR=0.574; 95% CI, -0.768 to -0.423; p < .001), and specialists (OR=0.621; 95% CI, -0.608 to -0.207; p < .001). This study showed that pediatricians who were male, widowed/separated, a smoker, with children, working in a State Hospital, and specialists had less belief in the side effects of THS.