Tobacco Outlet Density and Demographics: A Geographically Weighted Regression Analysis

Abstract

Previous studies have indicated that tobacco outlets seem to be clustered in low-income minority neighborhoods. This study utilized a cross-sectional design to examine the relationships among minority status, median household income, population density, commercial land use, and location of tobacco outlets at the census tract level in Polk County, Iowa. Using geographically weighted regression, this study re-examines one previously carried out in the same location by Schneider et al. (Prevention Science 6: 319-325, 2005). Contrary to that and some other previous studies, this research found no relationship between tobacco outlet density and percent Hispanic, and found a negative relationship with regard to two variables-that of being African American and median household income. Positive significant relationships were found with population density and land use.

Retail Pharmacy Policy to End the Sale of Tobacco Products: What Is the Impact on Disparity in Neighborhood Density of Tobacco Outlets?

“…The present study sought to examine the potential impact of this policy on racial/ethnic and socioeconomic disparities in the density of tobacco outlets across neighborhoods in RI. Similar to previous studies in New Jersey,[47] New York,[46] and Iowa[49] investigating the association between the sociodemographic characteristics of neighborhoods and tobacco retail outlet density, our results showed that as the density of tobacco retail outlets increases in neighborhoods, so did the percentage of African American/Black and Hispanic residents, as well as the percentage of residents living in poverty; we also found that as the number of tobacco retail outlets increases the neighborhood socioeconomic status (median income and educational attainment in the census tract) decreases. Our results suggest a racial/ethnic and socioeconomic disparity in tobacco access across neighborhoods in the state of RI, with a greater density of tobacco retailers in neighborhoods with more African American/Black and Hispanic residents and in neighborhoods with lower household incomes and more families in poverty.…”

“…A Moran’s I value close to 1 suggests spatial autocorrelation and that a spatial pattern should be considered in subsequent analyses. [49,50] We then used geographically weighted regression (GWR) to account for any spatial clustering. The GWR models used the same log-transformed outcomes and the five separate demographic predictors as the OLS models.…”

The inequitable distribution of tobacco outlet density: the role of income in two Black Mid-Atlantic geopolitical areas

“…20 A number of studies concluded that areas with higher concentrations of Blacks and lower median household income have greater tobacco outlet density, 5, 6, 7, 21, 22 and higher smoking prevalence as evidenced by the number of cigarettes smoked per day. 23, 24, 25, 26 Unlike most studies, Mayers and colleagues did not find the same relationships and found instead two factors – population density and percent commercial – to be highly relevant factors when it comes to tobacco outlet density. This current study sought to compare tobacco outlet density in two distinct geopolitical areas of Maryland – Baltimore City and Prince George's County.…”

Youth activity spaces and daily exposure to tobacco outlets

“…Moreover, since tobacco outlets are not spatially distributed equally (Mayers, Wiggins, Fulghum, & Peterson, 2012;Rodriguez, Carlos, Adachi-Mejia, Berke, & Sargent, 2013;Schneider, Reid, Peterson, Lowe, & Hughey, 2005;Yu, Peterson, Sheffer, Reid, & Schnieder, 2010), exposure to tobacco outlets may change across youth activity spaces. Activity spaces may then provide a better measure of tobacco outlet exposures than traditional measures, and therefore assessing activity spaces could yield significant information to advance the field.…”

“…Research shows that the type of locations in which youths spend their time are varied and geographically dispersed, and are not captured by traditional geographical boundaries such as census tract, home neighborhood, or block group (Mason, Cheung, & Walker, 2004;Mason & Mennis, 2010). In particular, research suggests that youth activity spaces are larger and encompass more and different locations than spaces captured by home or school buffers.Moreover, since tobacco outlets are not spatially distributed equally (Mayers, Wiggins, Fulghum, & Peterson, 2012;Rodriguez, Carlos, Adachi-Mejia, Berke, & Sargent, 2013;Schneider, Reid, Peterson, Lowe, & Hughey, 2005;Yu, Peterson, Sheffer, Reid, & Schnieder, 2010), exposure to tobacco outlets may change across youth activity spaces. Activity spaces may then provide a better measure of tobacco outlet exposures than traditional measures, and therefore assessing activity spaces could yield significant information to advance the field.…”