The child deaths in Brazil fall after the complete ban on smoking

According to a new study, the number of child deaths in Brazil has decreased as a result of complete smoking bans in public places.

Its authors, from Imperial College London, the Brazilian National Cancer Institute (INCA) and the Erasmus Medical Center in the Netherlands, believe that the strengthening of anti-smoking legislation between 2000 and 2016 in Brazil has allowed to prevent more than 15,000 deaths in children under one year old.

The new research is published today, in the World Health Organization's "World No Tobacco Day" journal. Tobacco control.

Children are particularly affected by exposure to smoke. In the uterus, this affects the development of the fetus and can increase the risk of preterm birth or low birth weight. Infants and children exposed to second-hand smoke have a higher risk of respiratory infections, asthma and sudden infant death.

This new study is the first to badyze the impact of different types of smoking bans on the health of children in a middle-income country. The authors argue that governments in other countries should take action to strengthen anti-smoking legislation to protect the lives of children. Only 20% of the world's population is subject to a total ban on smoking. ?

In 2014, Brazil implemented comprehensive smoke-free legislation throughout the country, banning smoking in all partially or totally closed public places, including bars and restaurants. The study showed that this was badociated with a 5.2% reduction in infant mortality and 3.4% in neonatal mortality, after taking into account underlying trends and other factors. may affect the health of children.

The researchers also found that complete bans were more effective than partial bans in reducing infant deaths. Prior to 2014, 17 states in Brazil had partial prohibitions (for example, smoking rooms and smoking in partially closed restaurants and bars) and nine full bans had been adopted covering all partially or fully enclosed public spaces. . Partial legislation was badociated with a 3.3% reduction in infant mortality, but no significant change in neonatal mortality.

Scientists believe that smoking bans reduce child mortality by reducing the incidence of health problems directly related to exposure to smoke or cigarettes during pregnancy, such as sudden death syndrome. infant and respiratory infections.

Differences in legislation between different regions of Brazil before 2014 allowed researchers to badyze the evolution of infant mortality rates as different types of anti-smoking legislation came into play. The use of the calendar Specific legislation allowed them to badign changes in children's health to tobacco legislation rather than to another factor, such as a health policy change.

Dr. Thomas Hone, lead author of the study of the School of Public Health at Imperial College London, said: "The example of Brazil shows how much we can change children's health By totally banning smoking in public places Unfortunately, most people in the world are still not covered by a complete smoking ban It is appalling that so many babies and children are hurting themselves with second-hand smoke when a relatively simple measure could help prevent this. "

Dr. Andre Szklo, of the Brazilian National Cancer Institute, said: "Children have the right to be protected from the harmful effects of smoking and we call on governments around the world to adopt comprehensive laws and smoke-free to protect children's health. "

Throughout Brazil, infant mortality reductions have been greatest in the poorest or least educated areas, suggesting that the ban on smoking has also helped to reduce health inequalities in Brazil.

To reach their conclusions, the researchers examined data on all live births, infant deaths and neonatal deaths in Brazil between 2000 and 2016.