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A new study appearing in the Journal of Adolescent Health suggests that teens exposed to secondhand smoke (SHS) may be at increased risk for failing tests at school. Lead author Bradley Collins, Ph.D., assistant professor of public health and director of the Health Behavior Research Clinic at Temple University, commented on the study's findings: "Our retrospective study suggests that in adolescents, secondhand smoke exposure could interfere with academic test performance."

Researchers found that exposure to SHS at home decreased the odds of passing standardized achievement tests by 30 percent in 16- and 18-year-olds, after accounting for other known risk factors such as socioeconomic status, gender, prenatal exposure to smoking and active smoking during adolescence.
According to study authors, smoking prevalence is similar in the United Kingdom and the United States. Approximately 10 to 15 percent of women of childbearing age are smokers, and up to 60 percent of children may be exposed to smoke at home.

Dr. Collins commented on parental responsibility: "It's important that we help smoking parents learn how to reduce their children's exposure to secondhand smoke, a goal that can be achieved without requiring the parent to immediately quit smoking, although that's the ultimate goal for the health of the entire family."

(Source: www.sciencedaily.com)

Labels: second hand smoke, testing

Posted By: Aspen Education Group