Effects of tobacco smoke exposure on asthma prevalence and medical care use in North Carolina middle school children.

OBJECTIVES We sought to determine the effects of exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) and childhood cigarette smoking on asthma symptoms among middle school children in North Carolina. METHODS During 1999-2000, information was collected from a survey completed by the children. Outcomes of asthma symptom reporting were regressed on tobacco smoke exposures. RESULTS Children who currently smoked or reported any exposure to ETS were at increased risk of reporting active asthma symptoms. Exposure to ETS and childhood cigarette smoking was responsible for 15% of the asthma cases observed in the study population and $1.34 million in excess medical expenditures. CONCLUSIONS Even at low levels of exposure, childhood cigarette smoking and ETS are independently associated with asthmatic symptoms.