An evaluation of the California community intervention. (9th April 2010)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Modayil, Mary V; Cowling, David W; Tang, Hao; Roeseler, April
• Is Part Of: Tobacco control. Volume 19(2010)Supplement 1
• Page Start: i30
• Page End: i36
• Publication Date: 2010-04-09
• Subjects: Community program intervention studies -- health promotion -- outcome assessment -- smoking/prevention and control -- California -- environment -- public policy -- surveillance and monitoring; Tobacco use -- Prevention -- Periodicals; Tobacco use -- Periodicals; Smoking -- Law and legislation -- Periodicals; Smoking -- prevention & control -- Periodicals; Tobacco Use Disorder -- prevention & control -- Periodicals; Tobacco -- Periodicals; Electronic journals; 613.85
• DOI: 10.1136/tc.2009.031252
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0964-4563

Abstract

Abstract : Aim: We conducted this study to determine key community-level factors associated with higher tobacco control programme performance. Methods: A 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. Results: Local 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%). Conclusion: There 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.