Community Program Activities Predict Local Tobacco Policy Adoption in Florida Counties

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Health Policy
• Community Health

Background:

• Robust evidence links tobacco control policies to reduced tobacco use.
• Limited documentation exists on local program activities driving policy change.
• The Bureau of Tobacco Free Florida funds community programs for local policy promotion.

Purpose of the Study:

• To quantitatively assess the relationship between community tobacco control activities and local tobacco policy adoption.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of grantee activities in achieving policy change.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a quantitative model analyzing grantee activities and policy adoption data from 67 Florida counties (2010-2017).
• Employed fixed-effects negative binomial regression to examine associations.
• Measured organization policies (school, business) and jurisdiction policies (ordinances, resolutions).

Main Results:

• Partner meetings and local decision-maker communication positively influenced both organization and jurisdiction policies.
• Media advocacy and state policy-maker education were associated with increased jurisdiction policy adoption.
• Community outreach and data collection showed negative associations with policy adoption.

Conclusions:

• The type and timing of community tobacco control activities significantly influence local policy adoption.
• Strategic engagement with partners and decision-makers is crucial for policy success.
• Further research into the nuances of community outreach and data collection impact is warranted.