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Cross-Sectional Study of Secondhand Smoke Exposure and Associated Perceived Risks Among Non-Smoking Adults in Motor Parks in Lagos, Nigeria

Published in Frontiers (Volume 5, Issue 4)
Received: 8 November 2025     Accepted: 22 November 2025     Published: 17 December 2025
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Abstract

Secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure remains a critical global health threat, causing an estimated 1.3 million deaths annually and classified by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a Group 1 carcinogen with no safe level of exposure. In Nigeria, SHS contributes substantially to both communicable and non-communicable diseases despite the National Tobacco Control Act (NTCA) of 2015, which incorporates key provisions of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC); however, enforcement gaps and limited public awareness continue to undermine its effectiveness. This study assessed the prevalence of SHS exposure and examined associations between socio-demographic characteristics, knowledge of tobacco legislation, and perceived risks of SHS among 399 non-smoking adults recruited through systematic sampling in Ajah and Obalende motor parks in Eti-Osa LGA, Lagos State. Using a modified Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS) questionnaire, data were analyzed with IBM SPSS version 21, employing descriptive statistics, Chi-square tests, and multivariate logistic regression at a significance level of p ≤ 0.05. The prevalence of SHS exposure was 54.6%, notably higher among middle-aged men, individuals with lower educational attainment, and frequent users of motor parks. Although 69.8% of respondents demonstrated good perceived risk of SHS - reflecting awareness of its respiratory, cardiovascular, and carcinogenic harms - knowledge of the NTCA was poor (44.2%), indicating that understanding of health risks has not translated into awareness of legal protections or compliance with smoke-free regulations. These findings underscore the high burden of SHS exposure in outdoor transport settings, exceeding previously reported indoor rates, and highlight the urgent need for strengthened enforcement of smoke-free laws, improved public education on tobacco legislation, and targeted interventions within motor parks to reduce SHS exposure and protect public health.

Published in Frontiers (Volume 5, Issue 4)
DOI 10.11648/j.frontiers.20250504.15
Page(s) 193-204
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2025. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Secondhand Smoke, Tobacco Law, Risk Perception, Motor Parks, Nigeria, Public Health

References
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    Evbusogie, E., Adaeze, M. B., Aisha, A., Celine, N. I., Nene, W. B., et al. (2025). Cross-Sectional Study of Secondhand Smoke Exposure and Associated Perceived Risks Among Non-Smoking Adults in Motor Parks in Lagos, Nigeria. Frontiers, 5(4), 193-204. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.frontiers.20250504.15

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    ACS Style

    Evbusogie, E.; Adaeze, M. B.; Aisha, A.; Celine, N. I.; Nene, W. B., et al. Cross-Sectional Study of Secondhand Smoke Exposure and Associated Perceived Risks Among Non-Smoking Adults in Motor Parks in Lagos, Nigeria. Frontiers. 2025, 5(4), 193-204. doi: 10.11648/j.frontiers.20250504.15

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    AMA Style

    Evbusogie E, Adaeze MB, Aisha A, Celine NI, Nene WB, et al. Cross-Sectional Study of Secondhand Smoke Exposure and Associated Perceived Risks Among Non-Smoking Adults in Motor Parks in Lagos, Nigeria. Frontiers. 2025;5(4):193-204. doi: 10.11648/j.frontiers.20250504.15

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  • @article{10.11648/j.frontiers.20250504.15,
      author = {Ezekiel Evbusogie and Maduafokwa Blossom Adaeze and Abdulkareem Aisha and Nwohiri Ijeoma Celine and Wika-Kobani Barine Nene and Giwa Opeyemi and Ibenye-Ugbala Chioma and Matti Oluwadamilola},
      title = {Cross-Sectional Study of Secondhand Smoke Exposure and Associated Perceived Risks Among Non-Smoking Adults in Motor Parks in Lagos, Nigeria},
      journal = {Frontiers},
      volume = {5},
      number = {4},
      pages = {193-204},
      doi = {10.11648/j.frontiers.20250504.15},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.frontiers.20250504.15},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.frontiers.20250504.15},
      abstract = {Secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure remains a critical global health threat, causing an estimated 1.3 million deaths annually and classified by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a Group 1 carcinogen with no safe level of exposure. In Nigeria, SHS contributes substantially to both communicable and non-communicable diseases despite the National Tobacco Control Act (NTCA) of 2015, which incorporates key provisions of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC); however, enforcement gaps and limited public awareness continue to undermine its effectiveness. This study assessed the prevalence of SHS exposure and examined associations between socio-demographic characteristics, knowledge of tobacco legislation, and perceived risks of SHS among 399 non-smoking adults recruited through systematic sampling in Ajah and Obalende motor parks in Eti-Osa LGA, Lagos State. Using a modified Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS) questionnaire, data were analyzed with IBM SPSS version 21, employing descriptive statistics, Chi-square tests, and multivariate logistic regression at a significance level of p ≤ 0.05. The prevalence of SHS exposure was 54.6%, notably higher among middle-aged men, individuals with lower educational attainment, and frequent users of motor parks. Although 69.8% of respondents demonstrated good perceived risk of SHS - reflecting awareness of its respiratory, cardiovascular, and carcinogenic harms - knowledge of the NTCA was poor (44.2%), indicating that understanding of health risks has not translated into awareness of legal protections or compliance with smoke-free regulations. These findings underscore the high burden of SHS exposure in outdoor transport settings, exceeding previously reported indoor rates, and highlight the urgent need for strengthened enforcement of smoke-free laws, improved public education on tobacco legislation, and targeted interventions within motor parks to reduce SHS exposure and protect public health.},
     year = {2025}
    }
    

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    AB  - Secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure remains a critical global health threat, causing an estimated 1.3 million deaths annually and classified by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a Group 1 carcinogen with no safe level of exposure. In Nigeria, SHS contributes substantially to both communicable and non-communicable diseases despite the National Tobacco Control Act (NTCA) of 2015, which incorporates key provisions of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC); however, enforcement gaps and limited public awareness continue to undermine its effectiveness. This study assessed the prevalence of SHS exposure and examined associations between socio-demographic characteristics, knowledge of tobacco legislation, and perceived risks of SHS among 399 non-smoking adults recruited through systematic sampling in Ajah and Obalende motor parks in Eti-Osa LGA, Lagos State. Using a modified Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS) questionnaire, data were analyzed with IBM SPSS version 21, employing descriptive statistics, Chi-square tests, and multivariate logistic regression at a significance level of p ≤ 0.05. The prevalence of SHS exposure was 54.6%, notably higher among middle-aged men, individuals with lower educational attainment, and frequent users of motor parks. Although 69.8% of respondents demonstrated good perceived risk of SHS - reflecting awareness of its respiratory, cardiovascular, and carcinogenic harms - knowledge of the NTCA was poor (44.2%), indicating that understanding of health risks has not translated into awareness of legal protections or compliance with smoke-free regulations. These findings underscore the high burden of SHS exposure in outdoor transport settings, exceeding previously reported indoor rates, and highlight the urgent need for strengthened enforcement of smoke-free laws, improved public education on tobacco legislation, and targeted interventions within motor parks to reduce SHS exposure and protect public health.
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