Accuracy and Concordance in Reporting for Secondhand Smoke Exposure among Adolescents Undergoing Treatment for Cancer and Their Parents

Few studies have examined adolescent reporting accuracy for secondhand smoke exposure (SHSe), and never for youth with cancer. SHSe reporting from adolescents being treated for cancer (Mage=14.92 years, SD=1.67) was examined against parent/guardian reports and urine cotinine among 42 adolescent–parent dyads. Number of days in hospital-based lodgings prior to assessment emerged as the strongest predictor of urine cotinine (β=−0.46, p=0.003) and adolescent SHSe reporting significantly predicted urine cotinine (β=0.37, p=0.011) beyond relevant demographic and contextual variables (overall R2=0.40, F(6, 35)=3.90, p=0.004). Findings support adolescents as accurate reporters of discrete SHSe occurrences.