Secondhand Smoke Exposure is Independently Associated with Stroke among Non-Smoking Adults in West Africa.

Background: Stroke is a leading cause of disability and mortality worldwide, but little is known about the contribution of secondhand smoke exposure (SHSE) to stroke epidemiology among indigenous Africans.Objective: To evaluate the association of SHSE with stroke among indigenous Africans.Methods: We analyzed the relationship of SHSE with stroke among 2990 case-control pairs of adults who had never smoked (identified in the SIREN study) using conditional logistic regression at a two-sided P < 0.05.Results: Multivariable-adjusted odds ratio and 95% confidence interval; 1.25 (1.04, 1.50; P = 0.02) revealed SHSE was positively associated with stroke independent of stroke subtypes.Conclusion: Culturally relevant primary prevention strategies targeted at SHSE might be promising in preventing stroke among Africans.