Background: Despite progress in California’s tobacco prevention efforts, many groups continue to be disproportionately impacted by tobacco-related conditions including rural, LGBTQ, Black, Asian and Pacific Islander, and Latino populations. Engaging these underrepresented communities in tobacco prevention efforts may be an effective way to advance tobacco prevention for these groups. We examined community engagement among rural, LGBTQ, Black, Asian and Pacific Islander, and Latino populations as well as policy progress as part of an evaluation of a California Tobacco Prevention Program (CTPP) initiative promoting the adoption and implementation of policy, system, and environmental changes among populations facing persistent tobacco-related disparities.

Methods: Data are from a mixed-methods evaluation study. Surveys and semi-structure interviews were conducted in 2020 and in 2023 -2024 with CTPP grantees (n=57) and key stakeholders (n = 54), including community leaders, coalition members, and policymakers. Descriptive analyses were used to summarize survey results. Thematic analysis was used for interview data.

Results: Interviews with grantees and stakeholders revealed that these communities achieved advances in policies addressing restrictions on flavored tobacco products, tobacco retail licensing, and smoke-free environments. Stakeholder surveys provide insight into the activities used most frequently in each community. For example, the percentage reporting that rural community members participated in leadership development increased from 71% to 85%, engaging with youth among black community members increased from 69% to 86%, and participating in community education increased from 70% to 96% among Latino community members.

Conclusions: Findings suggest that promoting and supporting the engagement of populations disproportionately impacted by tobacco can help achieve tobacco policy objectives. The results provide insight into community engagement activities that were increasingly used by each population in their efforts to advance tobacco prevention. In addition, these findings can inform efforts to engage communities in policy and systems approaches to address use of other substances.