Town-level characteristics and smoking policy adoption in Massachusetts: are local restaurant smoking regulations fostering disparities in health protection? American journal of public health. [Am J Public Health] Journal article

Title	Town-level characteristics and smoking policy adoption in Massachusetts: are local restaurant smoking regulations fostering disparities in health protection?
Author(s)	Skeer M, George S, Hamilton WL, Cheng DM, Siegel M
Institution	Social and Behavioral Sciences Department, Boston University School of Public Health, MA 02118, USA. skeer@bu.edu
Source	Am J Public Health 2004 Feb; 94(2):286-92.
MeSH	Financing, Government Geography Government Regulation Healthy People Programs Humans Local Government Logistic Models Massachusetts Public Health Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S. Residence Characteristics Resource Allocation Restaurants Smoking Socioeconomic Factors Tobacco Smoke Pollution
Abstract	OBJECTIVES: We identified and quantified differences in sociodemographic characteristics of communities relative to the strength of local restaurant smoking regulations in Massachusetts. METHODS: We examined the relationship between the strength of the 351 local restaurant smoking regulations in Massachusetts and a number of town-level characteristics, using a multinomial logistic regression model. RESULTS: Characteristics important to the adoption of stronger restaurant smoking regulations included higher education and per capita income, geographic region, voter support for a state cigarette tax initiative, board of health funding to promote clean indoor air policy making, and the presence of a bordering town with a strong regulation. CONCLUSIONS: The current pattern of smoke-free restaurant policy enactment fosters socioeconomic and geographic disparities in health protection, undermining an important national health goal.
Language	eng
Pub Type(s)	Journal Article
PubMed ID	14759944

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