Kids with Asthma Who Live in Vaping Households Have Worse Outcomes

Secondhand smoke has been a topic of discussion among health care officials for decades now.

Could secondhand vaping be an issue as well?

According to Brian Jensen, MD, MSHP, FAAP, an associate professor of pediatrics at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia who presented his findings at the recent American Academy of Pediatrics conference, it might be for kids with asthma.

The study involved an analysis of data on 48,118 primary care visits for children age one or older who had a diagnosis of asthma. Outcomes were compared among kids who lived in households where vaping occurred and those who did not.

Household use of tobacco and e-cigarettes was reported in 5% of clinic visits overall. Tobacco-only use was reported in 9% of visits and e-cigarette-only use occurred in 3% of visits.

Forty-eight percent of the children were between the ages of 6 and 12, and 34% were non-Hispanic Black. Forty-three percent were on Medicaid, and 30% were from very low Child Opportunity Index neighborhoods.

Not surprisingly, households where both tobacco and e-cigarettes were being used were most strongly linked with poor asthma control in the children, including nighttime symptoms, greater use of rescue medications, more hospital admissions, and higher odds of uncontrolled asthma.

But kids in households in the e-cigarettes-only category suffered as well. In those households, children had about 1.3 times the odds of asthma flares and 1.4 times the odds of activity-related symptoms.

The findings held true even after the researchers adjusted them for other factors that could be coming into play.

Tobacco-only exposure showed more modest but still significant associations across multiple domains measured by the study.

“E-cigarette-only exposure showed associations with asthma symptoms comparable to combined exposure, challenging assumptions that e-cigarettes pose low risk,” wrote the authors. “Findings underscore the importance of comprehensive tobacco cessation counseling for families, including both combustible tobacco products and electronic products.” 

Highlighted in RC Buzz, October 26, 2026