Study of childhood trauma and tobacco use in the home

Tobacco expert Ashley Merianos talks to media about new study

University of Cincinnati professor Ashley Merianos, PhD, appeared on WVXU’s Cincinnati Edition to share insights from her latest study examining how adverse childhood experiences—such as parental divorce, financial hardship, or community violence—are tied to tobacco use in children’s households.

Merianos emphasized that secondhand smoke remains dangerous even when adults smoke outside, underscoring the persistent health risks for children. She was joined by Anita Shah, DO, assistant professor in the Division of Hospital Medicine at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, who highlighted the medical consequences of smoke exposure and the importance of prevention and support strategies.

Merianos is an affiliate member of the Thirdhand Smoke Research Consortium.

Thirdhand smoke is either inhaling, ingesting or absorbing through the skin the pollutants that are left behind in the environment after tobacco has been smoked. The pollutants can be found on walls, furniture and decorations.

Merianos recently led a study in collaboration with Cincinnati Children’s on the levels of thirdhand smoke in 80 homes where children reside. That study found nicotine on surfaces in all of the children's homes and detected the presence of a tobacco-specific carcinogen in nearly half of the homes.

Link to the WVXU radio segement.

Link to the study and Merianos' other studies on tobacco smoke.

Featured image at top of Ashley Merianos: Andrew Higley/UC Marketing + Brand.

Impact Lives Here

The University of Cincinnati is leading public urban universities into a new era of innovation and impact. Our faculty, staff and students are saving lives, changing outcomes and bending the future in our city's direction. Next lives here.

A partnership between the University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati Public Schools (CPS), Central State University in Ohio (CSU) and local mental health agencies has been formed to address the growing mental health needs of K-12 students in the region. The program is federally funded by a $3.75M grant from the Department of Education.

2