Smoke-Free Rules and Secondhand Smoke Exposure in Homes and Vehicles

King, Brian

Thursday, August 16, 2012: 11:00 AM

2503B (Kansas City Convention Center)

Brian King, PhD, MPH , Office on Smoking and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA

Dr. Shanta Dube, PhD, MPH , Office on Smoking and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA

David Homa, PhD, MPH , Office on Smoking and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA

Learning Objectives

At the conclusion of this presentation attendees will be able to:

1. Recognize the importance of implementing smoke-free rules in private settings such as homes and vehicles. 2. State the prevalence of smoke-free rules and secondhand smoke exposure in homes and vehicles among U.S. adults, both nationally and by state. 3. Describe disparities in smoke-free rules and secondhand smoke exposure in homes and vehicles among U.S. adults.

Cross Cutting Program Area(s): Tobacco Control Policies

Audience: Tobacco control advocates, researchers, and policy makers

Key Points: This study assessed the prevalence and sociodemographic correlates of smoke-free rules and secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure in homes and vehicles using self-reported data from the 2009-2010 National Adult Tobacco Survey, a national landline and cell phone survey of U.S. adults aged ≥18 years old. The study found that the national prevalence of smoke-free home rules was 81.1% [95% Confidence Interval (CI): 80.6%-81.6%] [state range: 67.9%-92.9%], and the prevalence of household smoke-free vehicle rules was 73.6% [95% CI: 73.1%-74.2%] [state range: 58.6%-85.8%]. Among nonsmokers, the prevalence of SHS exposure was 6.0% in homes [95% CI: 5.7%-6.3%] [state range: 2.4%-13.0%] and 9.2% in vehicles [95% CI: 8.8%-9.6%] [state range: 4.8%-13.5%]. For both homes and vehicles, SHS exposure was greatest among nonsmokers who were male, younger in age, non-Hispanic black, or less educated. These findings indicate that a large proportion of U.S. adults report smoke-free home and vehicle rules; however, efforts are still needed to reduce SHS exposure in these settings.

Educational Experience: This presentation will provide national and state-specific estimates of smoke-free rules and SHS exposure in homes and vehicles. These data can inform evidence-based interventions and educational initiatives to protect the public from the adverse effects of SHS exposure.

Benefits: As workplaces and public places increasingly are made smoke-free, private settings are becoming greater sources of SHS exposure. This study fills a current research gap by providing recent estimates of smoke-free rules and SHS exposure in homes and vehicles among U.S. adults.