Learning Objectives: 1) To describe rural-urban variations in the social climate surrounding ETS, 2) To contrast smoking bans in public and private places across levels of urbanization, 3) To contrast attitudes and knowledge about smoking bans across levels of urbanization
Abstract: In additional to the substantial economic and health burden of active cigarettes smoking, the deleterious health effects of passive smoking or Environmental Tobacco Smoke (ETS) are now well documented. The issue is no longer whether ETS is harmful, but how these harms can be reduced. Examination of rural-urban differences in restrictions on ETS may serve to identify practices, attitudes and knowledge of different segments of the US population. This study contrasted the social climate surrounding ETS across levels of urbanization. Respondents who resided in rural counties were more likely to report an absence of smoking bans in public and private settings, while respondents from more urbanized counties were more supportive of smoking bans and more knowledgeable of the harmful nature of ETS. Results from multiple logistic regression analyses indicated that the observed rural-urban differences in attitudes and knowledge could be explained by sociodemographic factors, whereas rural-urban differences in smoke-free public places could not.
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