[Prevalence and correlates of indoor smoking bans on traditional tobacco use in Hungary in 2009 and 2022].

Introduction

Voluntary bans on smoking inside the home reduce exposure to secondhand smoke, prevent smoking uptake, and support cessation. In Hungary, limited data are available on the temporal changes and correlates of smoke-free household rules.

Objective

To examine the prevalence, temporal trend, and sociodemographic correlates of voluntary bans on traditional tobacco smoking inside the home. Method: We conducted a secondary analysis of data from two surveys in 2009 and one in 2022. The unit of analysis was the household. We applied Z-tests, Cochran–Armitage trend tests, and binomial logistic regression with calculation of average marginal effects (AMEs).

Results

The proportion of households with a complete ban on smoking inside the home increased in Hungary from 60.6% in 2009 to 75.1% in 2022 (h = 0.3; p<0.01). Nevertheless, in 2022, 25.2% (95% CI: 22.5–28.0%) of children under the age of 18 still lived in households where smoking inside the home was allowed. Financial difficulties (AME ≈ –0.09 to –0.01) and the presence of a smoker in the household (AME ≈ –0.42 to –0.30) had a negative association in all models. The presence of a child under 18 years slightly increased the likelihood of a complete ban (AME ≈ 0.02 to 0.10). Discussion: Although there has been improvement, minors are still not adequately protected from indoor tobacco smoke in all Hungarian households.

Conclusion

Our findings highlight the need for targeted health communication and intervention programmes, particularly among disadvantaged households with children and at least one smoker. Orv Hetil. 2025; 166(46): 1818–1826.