Smoke/Tobacco-Free Protection in Multi-Unit Public Housing Complexes
Increasing the number of Multi-Unit Public Housing Complexes with Smoke and Tobacco-Free Policies
Cigarette smoking exposes non-smoking individuals to secondhand smoke (SHS), contributes to litter and pollution, and poses a fire risk. Exposure to SHS causes an estimated 33,951 annual deaths from heart disease and 7,333 annual deaths from lung cancer. Furthermore, exposure to SHS paces children at risk fro multiple respiratory infections, asthma and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).
Elderly individuals are particularly susceptible to SHS within the home. Elders exposed to SHS are at increased risk for:
- Asthma
- Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
- Lung Cancer
- Complications of Heart Disease
- Other chronic respiratory symptoms
Key Tobacco and Housing Related Indicators
Baseline and Post-Assessment Findings and Analysis
Goal: Determine the barriers to and effectiveness of smoke/tobacco-free policies in public multi-unit housing complexes in decreasing tobacco related illnesses and complications.
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Evalution Work Plan:
Completed
In Progress
Not StartedFinalize Evaluation Plan Obtain IRB approval/exemption Collect baseline data from multi-unit housing (MUH) complexes to examine demographics and initial opinions regarding smoke/tobacco-free MUH complexes Analyze baseline data Disseminate baseline data to stakeholders and on PICH webpage Collect follow-up data in MUH complexes that implemented smoke/tobacco-free "house rules"Analyze follow-up data Disseminate findings, including both baseline and follow-up data, and conclusions -
1. US Department of Health and Human Services. The health consequences of involuntary exposure to tobacco smoke: a report of the Surgeon General. Atlanta (GA): Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Office on Smoking and Health; 2006.2. US Department of Health and Human Services. The health and consequences of smoking—50 years of progress: a report of the Surgeon General. Atlanta (GA): Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Office on Smoking and Health; 2014.3. Klepeis NE, Nelson WC, Ott WR, Robinson JP, Tsang AM, Switzer P, et al. The National Human Activity Pattern Survey (NHAPS): a resource for assessing exposure to environmental pollutants. J Expo Anal Environ Epidemiol. 2001; 11: 231-252.4. US Department of Health and Human Services. How tobacco smoke causes disease: the biology and behavioral basis for smoking-attributable diseases: a report of the Surgeon General. Atlanta (GA): US Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Office on Smoking and Health; 2010.