Pediatrics international : official journal of the Japan Pediatric Society
-
Environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) in the home continues to be a major health risk for children around the world. Measuring ETS is a central feature of clinical and epidemiological studies, with children's exposure often assessed through parental estimates. The authors examined the relationship between parent-reported estimates of children's exposure to ETS and children's urinary cotinine levels and evaluated the ETS exposure and its effect on respiratory health in children. ⋯ To evaluate the level of ETS exposure of children, the parents' reports were not reliable. The addition of a biological measure results in a more informative estimate of ETS exposure in children.