Parental smoking and its effects on children

1996, as part of the epidemiological research, the Multi-indicator survey in Croatia - the research into parental knowledge and behavior concerning childrens health and nutrition, a survey was also carried out about parental and maternal smoking habits. The method used in the survey was the cluster metod and it included 253 mothers and 245 fathers, and the total of children up to 5 years of age in these households was 1937. The survey points out the health hazards of passive smoking before conception and all through adolsecence and shows the factors that relate to parental smoking habits. The survey showed that, in households with children up to 5 years of age, 35.2% mothers smoke and 50,2% fathers smoke. Maternal smoking habits depend on the degree of their education, whereas, this correlation cannot be found in the case of fathers.