Examining the Impact of Local Policies on Sociodemographic Disparities in Tobacco Use

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT The goal of this proposed study is to examine the impact of retail policies on disparities in tobacco outcomes and allow me to establish research independence as an early-stage investigator. The tobacco retail environment greatly influences tobacco use disparities through the presence of advertisements, promotions, and the availability of tobacco products. Communities with predominantly lower socioeconomic and minority population groups have more tobacco retail stores and higher tobacco prevalence, hence perpetuating tobacco use disparities. To curb the effect of the retail environment on tobacco use, localities are actively adopting policies that limit tobacco product availability. Some policies include restrictions on the sale of flavored tobacco products (FTP) or tobacco retailer licensing (TRL) policies to reduce the presence of tobacco retail stores. However, the impact of these policies on selected tobacco outcomes or related disparities remains understudied and unclear. This policy evaluation study will use advanced statistical methods to achieve three main goals: 1) describe and examine the impact of local TRL laws and fees on sociodemographic differences in retailer density by area- level race/ethnicity, income, and education; 2) explain and measure the impact of local FTP restrictions on sociodemographic differences in product sales within the communities by area- level race/ethnicity, income, and education; and 3) visualize and investigate the interactive effect of both policies on sociodemographic differences in individual-level exclusive and dual youth and adult cigarette and e-cigarette use. This K01 Mentored Career Development Award will provide the necessary foundation for my career as a principal investigator, skilled in analyzing tobacco policies with advanced analytic skills to understand their effect on tobacco outcomes and health disparities within the communities. These study findings will help policymakers and researchers understand the need to revise existing or adopt new retail policies to address the tobacco use epidemic in their communities.