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| Asthma attacks down since Lexington smoking ban, study says |
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Aug 14, 2008 |
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Lexington Herald-Leader: By Sarah Vos, svos@herald-leader.com
Asthma attacks that led to emergency room visits declined after Lexington adopted a smoking ban, according to a new study from the University of Kentucky.
The study showed a 22 percent decrease in asthma-related emergency room visits at four Lexington hospitals after the city adopted a ban on smoking in most public places in 2004.
The study is the first to show a link between smoking bans and emergency room visits for asthma, said Ellen Hahn, the study?s lead author and director of the Kentucky Center for Smoke-Free Policy.
?That?s a big thing for Kentucky because we have one of the highest rates of asthma,? Hahn said.
Numerous other studies have shown that second-hand smoke can trigger asthma attacks.
The UK study looked at emergency room visits for 40 months before the smoking ban was implemented and 32 months after. One Lexington hospital was not included in the study because of a change in its computer system.
The study found that adult emergency room visits for asthma declined 24 percent after the smoking ban was implemented. Child visits declined 18 percent.
The study is being published in the September issue of the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology.
? 2008 Kentucky.com and wire service sources. All Rights Reserved. http://www.kentucky.com |
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