Journal Article

An evaluation of the California community intervention

Roeseler, April, Modayil, Mary V, Cowling, David W, Tang, Hao

2010

Overview

AimWe conducted this study to determine key community-level factors associated with higher tobacco control programme performance.MethodsA combination of surveys, administrative and fiscal data were collected to measure local county-level health department performance over a 7-year period. Longitudinal analyses were performed using generalised estimating equations to examine whether counties that exerted higher effort were successful in creating more tobacco retail licensing (TRL) and secondhand smoke policies. Several social, political and contextual factors were examined as confounders.ResultsLocal county health departments (CHDs) that demonstrated high effort on their work plans increased the proportion of residents covered by TRL policies (7.2%; 95% CI −1.7 to 16.1%) compared to CHDs with lower levels of effort. Having legislators who voted in favour of tobacco control bills was found to significantly increase the passage of local TRL policies. CHDs demonstrating higher efforts also increased the proportion of residents covered by secondhand smoke policies (9.2%; 95% CI −3.5 to 21.9%).ConclusionThere was strong evidence that higher county-level efforts predicted an increasing number of local tobacco control policies. Evaluations using integrated designs are recommended as effective strategies to provide a more accurate assessment of how well community-level interventions catalyse community-wide change.

• Publisher: BMJ Publishing Group Ltd,BMJ Publishing Group,BMJ Publishing Group LTD,BMJ Group
• Subject: California / Campaign contributions / Censuses / Commerce - legislation & jurisprudence / Communities / Community / Community program intervention studies / Data Collection / Departments / environment / Fines & penalties / Funding / Grass roots movement / Health Policy - legislation & jurisprudence / Health Promotion / Humans / Legislators / Local Government / Minors / outcome assessment / Passive smoking / Population / Population growth / Population policy / Program Evaluation / Progress reports / Public health / Public Health - methods / Public Health Administration / public policy / Research Paper / Residence Characteristics / Secondhand smoke / Smoking / Smoking - legislation & jurisprudence / Smoking cessation / Smoking Prevention / smoking/prevention and control / Social norms / surveillance and monitoring / Tobacco / Tobacco industry / Tobacco policy / Tobacco smoke / Tobacco Smoke Pollution - legislation & jurisprudence / Tobacco Use Disorder - prevention & control / Voting