Tobacco Smoke Incursions in Multiunit Housing

Overview

Journal Am J Public Health

Specialty Public Health

Date 2014 Jun 13

PMID 24922124

Citations 28

Authors

Karen M Wilson

Michelle Torok

Robert McMillen

Susanne Tanski

Jonathan D Klein

Jonathan P Winickoff

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Objectives: We sought to describe the prevalence of secondhand tobacco smoke incursions reported by multiunit housing (MUH) residents, pinpoint factors associated with exposure, and determine whether smoke-free building policy was associated with prevalence of reported tobacco smoke incursions.

Methods: Data are from a 2011 nationally representative dual-frame survey (random-digit-dial and Internet panels) of US adults aged 18 years and older. Individuals who lived in MUH and who reported no smoking in their homes for the past 3 months, whether or not they reported being smokers themselves, were included in this study. Incursions were defined as smelling tobacco smoke in their building or unit.

Results: Of 562 respondents, 29.5% reported smoke incursions in their buildings. Of these, 16% reported incursions in their own unit, 36.2% of which occurred at least weekly. Government-subsidized housing and partial smoke-free policies were associated with a higher likelihood of reporting smoke incursions.

Conclusions: Many residents of multiunit housing are exposed to tobacco smoke in their units and buildings. Partial smoke-free policies do not appear to protect residents and might increase the likelihood of incursions in residents' individual units.

Citing Articles

Indoor Air Quality in Multi-Family Housing: Drivers and Interventions.

Levy J, Kibilko K Curr Environ Health Rep. 2025; 12(1):4.

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Social deprivation and spatial clustering of childhood asthma in Australia.

Khan J, Lingam R, Owens L, Chen K, Shanthikumar S, Oo S Glob Health Res Policy. 2024; 9(1):22.

PMID: 38910250 PMC: 11194868. DOI: 10.1186/s41256-024-00361-2.

Secondhand smoke exposure and associated factors among city residents living in multiunit housing in Bangladesh.

Kibria M, Hossain A, Islam T, Islam K, Mahmud H, Nabi M PLoS One. 2023; 18(9):e0291746.

PMID: 37733729 PMC: 10513191. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0291746.

Disparities in Smokefree and Vapefree Home Rules and Smokefree Policy Attitudes Based on Housing Type and Cigarette Smoking Status, United States, 2019.

Reyes-Guzman C, Patel M, Wang T, Corcy N, Chomenko D, Slotman B Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2023; 20(14).

PMID: 37510588 PMC: 10379655. DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20146356.

Implementation Activities in Smoke-Free Public Housing: The Massachusetts Experience.

Lee B, Fung V, Cheng D, Winickoff J, Rigotti N, Shah R Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2023; 20(1).

PMID: 36612394 PMC: 9819479. DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20010078.

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