HealthDay: Deep Disparities Persist in Who Gets Exposed to Secondhand Smoke

Harmful secondhand tobacco smoke remains more widespread than most people think, experts say, and exposure is particularly high for children, Black adults and people living below the poverty line.

One of the biggest hurdles is smokers often underestimate the levels of exposure and the effects on nonsmokers' lungs, hearts and brains.

"There's denial among the smokers that they don't smoke around children, they don't smoke in the house, they don't smoke in the car," said Dr. Geetha Raghuveer, a pediatric cardiologist at Children's Mercy Kansas City. "But that may not be something they can execute all the time."

She said the "intent" might be there to avoid smoking around others, but the reality often differs greatly – and "with the pandemic, at this point in time, people may have been indoors more."

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, an estimated 58 million people in the U.S. were exposed to secondhand smoke as of 2014, the latest year for which data is available for both children and adults.

Read the full article via HealthDay

Learn more about the Ward Family Heart Center at Children's Mercy