142nd APHA Annual Meeting and Exposition

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Two paths to tobacco point of sale research: The City of New Orleans and the State of California

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

Megan Tulikangas, MPP , Louisiana Public Health Institute, New Orleans, LA
Catherine Dizon, MPH , Public Health Sciences, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA
Alexandra Priebe, PhD(c), MPH, MA , Division of Evaluation and Research, Louisiana Public Health Institute, New Orleans, LA
Jeanette Treiber, PhD , Public Health Sciences, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA
Diana Cassady, DrPH , Public Health Sciences, University of California, Davis, DAVIS, CA
Robin Kipke, MS , Public Health Sciences, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA
Jorge Andrews , Public Health Sciences, University of California, Davis, Davis
Thomas Carton, PhD , Louisiana Public Health Institute, New Orleans, LA
Issues:  Tobacco companies use point-of-sale (POS) tactics, such as price promotions, placement, and advertisements, to encourage use of tobacco, the most preventable cause of morbidity and mortality in the U.S.  Many Louisiana residents oppose restricting businesses and support individual right to make choices – even unhealthy ones.  California, in contrast, has an established record of adopting policies such as local tobacco retail licensing.   Public health practitioners in both places seek ways to reduce tobacco use and acknowledge the importance of building community support for tobacco control efforts.

Description: In order to gain public support for stricter tobacco POS regulation, the Louisiana Campaign for Tobacco-Free Living (TFL), a private non-profit organization, and the Tobacco Control Program (TCP) of the California Department of Public Health both began intensive tobacco POS research in the summer of 2013.  TFL collected observation data in a census of stores in the City of New Orleans (n=465) while TCP surveyed a statewide sample from all 61 local health jurisdictions (n=7,393).   This session compares these organizations’ paths to POS research, methods of data collection and dissemination, and issues faced.

Lessons Learned: Observational surveys and qualitative interviews employed by both programs were essential in creating a holistic picture of the tobacco POS environment.  Community buy-in is vital to tobacco control policies.

Recommendations: Evidence of tobacco POS tactics that are harmful to youth and adults is a powerful tool to gain support for policies to reduce tobacco access and use.  Examples of POS surveys and mobile technology are readily available.

Learning Areas:

Implementation of health education strategies, interventions and programs
Planning of health education strategies, interventions, and programs
Public health or related laws, regulations, standards, or guidelines
Public health or related public policy
Public health or related research

Learning Objectives:
Describe methods for assessing tobacco point-of-sale environments. Compare and contrast two local assessments of tobacco point-of-sale environments with similar goals but different constraints that lead to comparable solutions.

Keyword(s): Tobacco Control

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I hold an MPP from the University of Chicago, where I specialized in program evaluation and methods of statistical and economic analysis. At LPHI, I provide evaluation expertise and policy guidance to comprehensive tobacco control initiatives that prevent and reduce tobacco use and exposure to secondhand smoke.
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.

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