Public-smoking bans may cut down on secondhand smoke at restaurants and other workplaces, but many children are still exposed to smoking at home, according to researchers from Mississippi State University (MSU).

"The vast majority of adults in 2005 -- 97 percent-- recognized the dangers of exposure to secondhand smoke from parental smoking," said researcher Robert McMillen, M.D., of MSU's Social Science Research Center. "Yet, a tenth of households -- 10 percent -- allow indoor smoking in the presence of children."

In annual surveys conducted between 2000 and 2005, McMillen and colleagues found that support for various public smoking bans steadily increased. By 2005, 70 percent or more of adults favored bans in shopping malls, restaurants, and indoor sporting events, and 39 percent even said smoking should be banned in outdoor parks.

In addition, support for prohibiting smoking inside homes grew from 69 percent to 77 percent, and barring smoking when children are present was favored by 90 percent of survey respondents, up from 79 percent in 2000.

McMillen's study, "Changes from 2000 to 2005 in U.S. Adult Attitudes and Practices Regarding Children's Exposure to Secondhand Smoke," was unveiled at the recent annual meeting of the Pediatric Academic Societies.