Abstract
Testing the effectiveness of messages to inform tobacco campaigns in low- and middle-income countries
Shuo Wang, MPH, Sharan Kuganesan, MSc, Jorge Alday, MSc, Ashish Kumar Gupta, Rebecca Perl, M.S., Sandra Mullin, MSW and Nandita Murukutla, Ph.D.
Vital Strategies, New York, NY
APHA 2021 Annual Meeting and Expo
Background: Tobacco industry practices contribute to the tobacco epidemic globally, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. People are often unaware of how tobacco industry practices prevent the enactment of tobacco control policies and contribute to harm. The aim of this study is to identify what messages are most likely to build public awareness, trigger anger and outrage, and lead to two behaviors: increased information seeking and calls to hold the industry accountable. Six messages were developed and tested about the tobacco industry’s activities, with these themes: (1) environmental harms caused by littering; (2) environmental harms related to farming and livelihoods; (3) tactics that lead youth to addiction; (4) the need to pay for damages during COVID-19; (5) child labor practices; and (6) the use of junk science to manipulate policy.
Methods: Message effectiveness was assessed among 980 adults ages 18 to 55 years in India, South Africa and Brazil. A standardized message rating survey, including a mix of quantitative and qualitative measures, was conducted with purposively selected online samples. Chi-square tests with quantitative data, and inductive thematic analysis with the qualitative data, were performed.
Results: Across countries, messages that described child labor practices and environmental harms caused by littering were deemed most effective in motivating participants to seek information about tobacco industry practices and hold the industry accountable. The message about youth addiction received mixed ratings: some participants found the ad convincing, while others felt youth would continue to vape after viewing the ad. The message suggesting the tobacco industry should pay for damages during COVID-19 consistently performed lowest for message effectiveness.
Conclusions: Environmental and child labor messages are most motivating to take action. The consistency of results from three geographic locations suggests how this study’s findings may inform efforts across diverse markets to communicate about tobacco industry exploitation.
Assessment of individual and community needs for health education Communication and informatics Planning of health education strategies, interventions, and programs Social and behavioral sciences
Abstract
Community perspectives on reducing secondhand smoke exposure in multi-unit housing in los angeles county
Lia Marshall, PhD, MSW1, Christine Cerven, Ph.D.2, Claud Moradian, MPH1, Tonya Gorham Gallow, MSW1 and Tony Kuo, MD, MSHS1
(1)Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, Los Angeles, CA, (2)Los Angeles County Department of Public Health- Tobacco Control and Prevention Program, Los Angeles, CA
APHA 2021 Annual Meeting and Expo
Multi-unit housing (MUH) residents are vulnerable to drifting secondhand smoke (SHS). Each year, approximately 28 million MUH residents in the U.S. are exposed to SHS. In Los Angeles County 16.5% of adults are exposed to SHS in MUH. This is particularly problematic given the local and state stay-at-home orders that kept more people home during the COVID-19 pandemic. To better understand varying perspectives on tobacco control policies for MUH, interviews were conducted with key community stakeholders (n=63) during 2019-2020. Informants were asked open-ended questions regarding their perceptions about SHS prevalence, potential support, and strategies for countering challenges to policy adoption. Content analysis was conducted to identify common themes across interviews. Over half of informants (56%) believed SHS exposure in MUH was common in their jurisdiction. They expected greater support of smoke-free MUH policies from community organizations and community members (71%), but less support from government (19%), property owners/managers (14%), and/or the business community (6%). Informants predicted that the public would support smoking cessation but would remain uneasy about imposing excessive penalties for violations (77%). They felt community members, particularly smokers (49%) would oppose, as would the business community (38%) and property owner/managers (23%) due to potential financial losses. Informants predicted notable challenges for city government (28%), especially with enforcement cost. Strategies to overcome opposition included coalition building, community education, and engaging decision-makers. This study provides important insights into community and stakeholder support, barriers to- and strategies for- developing smoke-free MUH policies. Recommended approaches to passing smoke-free MUH polices are discussed.
Public health or related public policy Public health or related research
Abstract
Successes of a comprehensive smoke free policy to reduce secondhand smoke exposure
Jessica Ducsay1, Andrew Jimenez2 and Robert LaChausse, PhD, CHES3
(1)California Baptist University, Redlands, CA, (2)Riverside University Health System – Public Health, Riverside, CA, (3)California Baptist University, Riverside, CA, CA
APHA 2021 Annual Meeting and Expo
Issue: Despite tremendous progress in tobacco cessation in recent years, enacting and enforcing smoke-free policies remains a challenge in eliminating secondhand smoke exposure in public spaces and the homes of our underserved communities. While their prevalence of smoking is lower, when compared to the general population Hispanic adults have higher exposure to secondhand smoke and are less protected by smoke-free housing laws. Moreover, African American adults and children are more likely to be exposed to secondhand smoke than any other racial group.
Description: Community coalitions and public health professionals throughout the Nation seek to create equitable strategies to improve the health outcomes of our most vulnerable populations. A promising approach to improve local health, inspire change in social norms, and create a safe environment to live, work and play are to enact local smoke-free air laws. California Baptist University’s Drug Free Community project with the Healthy Jurupa Valley coalition and the Riverside County Tobacco Control Project’s Coalition for Tobacco-Free Communities worked to educate and inform local policymakers in Jurupa Valley, a primarily Hispanic community in Southern California, to become the first city in their county to pass a comprehensive smoke-free law.
Lessons Learned and Recommendations: This presentation will demonstrate how we effectively strengthened partnerships with key sectors of the community to create, modify and pass a local ordinance, and discuss how we plan to enforce a successful smoke-free policy to create community change. Participants will be able to identify community needs through assessments and key informant interviews, list opportunities for culturally-sensitive community health education, and reduce barriers to cessation resources.
Advocacy for health and health education Planning of health education strategies, interventions, and programs Public health or related laws, regulations, standards, or guidelines Public health or related organizational policy, standards, or other guidelines Public health or related public policy
Abstract
Real-time exposure assessment of secondhand smoke in outdoor dining areas
Andy Dang, MPH1, Neil Klepeis, MS, PhD2, Mark Weber, PhD1, Claud Moradian, MPH1, Tonya Gorham Gallow, MSW1 and Tony Kuo, MD, MSHS1
(1)Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, Los Angeles, CA, (2)ETR, Scotts Valley, CA
APHA 2021 Annual Meeting and Expo
Issue: Patron exposure to secondhand smoke (SHS) in outdoor areas of dining establishments can pose adverse acute health effects including coughing, irritation, wheezing, and exacerbation of asthma. In Los Angeles County, 54.6% of adult residents reported being exposed to cigarette tobacco smoke in outdoor areas. With increased demand for outdoor dining driven by the COVID-19 pandemic, strategies are needed to promote smoke-free dining areas that protect the health of both patrons and staff.
Description: The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health Tobacco Control Prevention Program has developed and initiated an innovative study to measure PM2.5 exposure and environmental co-factors in hundreds of venues with outdoor dining across 18 cities in Los Angeles County. To date, over 250 venues have been visited. While past studies do not fully address the influence of various external factors on SHS measurements and outdoor SHS exposure, this study aims to identify and control for real-world factors, including simultaneous background ambient PM2.5 measurements, real-time meteorological conditions (e.g., wind speed and wind direction), precise timeline of smoking activity and proximity to smoker, physical building characteristics of the dining area, and the presence of other emission sources (e.g., traffic). Inclusion of these factors allows for the accurate modeling of SHS-associated PM2.5 concentrations and exposures. Our novel methodology addresses the knowledge gap regarding SHS exposure assessments in outdoor dining settings. The results will enhance support for smoke-free outdoor dining policies.
Lessons Learned and Recommendations: Preliminary results suggest initial successes with using this novel approach to demonstrate the harmful levels of exposure to airborne fine particulate matter (PM2.5) due to SHS. Further analyses will be conducted and used to chronicle lessons learned that can inform and guide municipal smoke-free policies for outdoor dining.
Environmental health sciences Epidemiology Public health or related research