Secondhand Smoke and Women's Cognitive Function in China

Abstract

Exposure to secondhand smoke (SHS) is known to be harmful to health. However, the association between household SHS and cognitive function among middle-aged and older women in China is understudied. Lagged dependent variable regression is used to examine the association between household SHS exposure and the cognitive function of married women who have been exposed to SHS from two waves of the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS, 2011–2013). Controlling for age, educational attainment, geographic residence, household expenditures, and chronic conditions (i.e., hypertension, diabetes, and depressive symptoms), the results indicate that longer SHS exposure is associated with a greater decline in memory over two years. After comparing differences across age groups, this pattern is significant for women aged 55–64 years. Furthermore, those who are illiterate, live in rural areas, and report depressive symptoms have a greater decline in memory. With evidence linking household SHS exposure with a higher risk of cognitive decline, effective education and public health intervention programs are urgently needed. Stronger tobacco control regulations and education about the dangers of household SHS are viable strategies to reduce the impending dementia epidemic in China.