142nd APHA Annual Meeting and Exposition

Annual Meeting Recordings are now available for purchase

306149
Pennsylvania's New Approach to Addressing Secondhand Smoke Exposure in Multi-Unit Housing

142nd APHA Annual Meeting and Exposition (November 15 - November 19, 2014): http://www.apha.org/events-and-meetings/annual
Sunday, November 16, 2014

Sarah Ingerman , The Research and Evaluation Group, Public Health Management Corporation, Philadelphia, PA
Susan McLain, MPH , Division of Tobacco Prevention and Control, Pennsylvania Department of Health, Harrisburg, PA
Sophia Allen, MBA , Division of Tobacco Prevention and Control, Pennsylvania Department of Health, Harrisburg, PA
Jennifer D. Keith, MPH, CPH , Research & Evaluation Group, Public Health Management Corporation, Philadelphia, PA
Kristin O. Minot, MS , Research & Evaluation Group, Public Health Management Corporation, Philadelphia, PA
Joy Blankley Meyer , PACT, Camp Hill, PA
Background:  With approximately 40 million Americans living in multi-unit housing (MUH), secondhand smoke exposure is a major concern.  Eliminating smoking at home is an essential step towards preventing exposure across ages.  In 2013, Pennsylvania’s (PA) Tobacco Prevention and Control Program, administered by the PA Department of Health, implemented a standardized smoke free MUH initiative.  The Division of Tobacco Prevention and Control (DTPC) identified public housing as the focus of the initiative and encouraged policy work at the county and regional levels to maximize impact.

Methods: Standard reporting measures were created to capture policy-focused activities and resulting impacts.  Measures include, but are not limited to: type of MUH site, level of policy coverage, and total individuals/units covered.  The new reporting tool captures both completed and ongoing policy work.  The PA Free Quitline also asks if clients live in public housing.

Results: Preliminary data from fall/winter 2013 indicate more than 21,200 individuals are affected by new smoke free MUH policies.  DTPC contractors worked with housing authorities and individual property owners and managers to change policies at the building, city and county levels.  Other regions are in ongoing discussions with sites and/or their governing bodies regarding smoke free policies.  This presentation will measure the initial impact of PA’s standardized initiative and discuss examples of successful implementation of smoke free MUH policies, challenges encountered, and recommendations for future policy work.

Conclusions: Coordinated county and regional smoke free MUH policy work is an important and effective step towards reducing secondhand smoke exposure at home.

Learning Areas:

Public health or related organizational policy, standards, or other guidelines
Public health or related public policy
Public health or related research

Learning Objectives:
Evaluate the initial impact of Pennsylvania's new standardized smoke free multi-unit housing initiative. Discuss examples of successful implementation of smoke free multi-unit housing policies, challenges encountered, and recommendations for future policy work.

Keyword(s): Tobacco Control, Policy/Policy Development

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: As a Research Associate, I assist with the evaluation of Pennsylvania's Tobacco Prevention and Control Project; I specifically oversee the evaluation of the statewide tobacco policy initiatives. I have worked on this project for over three years.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.