Effect of tobacco-related policy change on smoking behavior
Creators: name: University Of California Office Of The President
Publisher: name: University of California Office of the President
publisherIdentifier: https://ror.org/00dmfq477
publisherIdentifierScheme: ROR
Year: 2024

description: In our current research, we identified changes in tobacco-related public policy associated with increased smoking cessation in population survey data, particularly physician advice to quit and restrictions on smoking in the workplace. It is unclear whether these effects on cessation in the general population are equally shared by all Racial and Ethnic groups, by those with less educational attainment, or by those with mental illness and substance abuse. The higher prevalence and lower rates of cessation among some of these population sub-groups are driven by a variety of personal and social forces, but they may also reflect differences in exposure to these public policy interventions or differences in the impact on cessation of exposure to the policy intervention. For this grant we will examine the relationship between changes in tobacco-related public policy and smoking cessation behavior for African-Americans, Hispanics, Asian-Americans, smokers with less education, smokers with mental distress and smokers who use alcohol excessively. 
 
 
 
 
 
 Specifically we will:
 
 1. Test for differences by race/ethnicity and level of education in the effect of physician advice to quit and restrictions on workplace smoking on cessation behavior and success.
 
 2. Determine the influence of restrictions on smoking at the workplace on the likelihood of implementing smoking restrictions in the home.
 
 3. Evaluate whether the increased cessation associated with the presence of a tobacco control program in California and Massachusetts is present for smokers who are African-American, Hispanic, Asian-American and smokers with less education.
 
 4. Explore the impact of workplace smoking bans and physician advice on cessation behavior and success among individuals with mental distress or excessive alcohol use.
 
 
 
 
 
 Survey data from the California Tobacco Survey, the Current Population Survey and the National Health Interview Survey will be used to examine the relationship between the changes in tobacco-related public policy and smoking cessation for different sub-groups in the population. We will examine the reach and impact of physician advice on smoking cessation and the reach and impact of workplace smoking restrictions on smoking cessation for African-Americans, Hispanics, Asian-Americans, smokers with less education, smokers with mental distress and smokers who use alcohol excessively. Because working in a smoke-free workplace is associated with implementing a smoking ban at home, we will also examine the relationship between workplace restrictions and home smoking bans for African-Americans, Hispanics, Asian-Americans, and smokers with less education. We will also evaluate whether the association we demonstrated between the presence of a tobacco control program in California and Massachusetts and increased smoking cessation is evident among African-Americans, Hispanics, Asian-Americans, and smokers with less education.
 
 
 
 
 
 Changes in public policy have the potential to reach a large portion of the population. This grant will examine the impact of public policy interventions on cessation for different demographic sub-groups in the population.