 | The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA |
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| The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA |
Elva Yañez, MS, The Praxis Project, 4627 Harriman Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90032, 323-255-5843, eyanez@thepraxisproject.org
This paper analyzes existing research and public opinion data regarding secondhand smoke exposure rates of people of color and related clean indoor air policy issues. Existing data indicate that Latinos and Native Americans are disproportionately exposed to secondhand smoke in the workplace. In contrast, other surveillance data demonstrate that Latinos and Asian Americans have the lowest rates of home-based secondhand smoke exposure of children. Further, public opinion data indicate that African Americans and Latinos have the highest rates of support for strong clean indoor air laws. This presentation offers an analysis of this compelling data, and explores why clean indoor air is not a priority public health issue for communities of color as well as strategies to reverse this situation. Recommendations regarding research, resource allocation and strategic approaches to clean indoor air policy are also presented. The presentation concludes that in order to achieve long-term sustainable success, the tobacco control movement in the U.S. must invest adequate resources—time, money, people and expertise—directly into communities of color to organize, build capacity and infrastructure, and advocate for policy change regarding exposure to secondhand smoke.
Learning Objectives:
Keywords: Ethnic Minorities, Tobacco Policy
Related Web page: www.thepraxisproject.org/tools/comm_of_color.ppt
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.