Changes in cigarette smoking, purchase patterns, and cessation-related behaviors among low-income smokers in New York State from 2002 to 2005.
OBJECTIVE
This study characterized longitudinal changes in cigarette smoking and purchase and cessation patterns among low-income smokers in New York State.


METHODS
Longitudinal tobacco use surveys were conducted in 2002 and 2005. Responses from the 2002 and 2005 surveys were compared among participants who completed both surveys.


METHODS
New York State.


METHODS
Adult low-income smokers (n = 274) were recruited from the Department of Social Services office in Erie County, New York, in 2002 and recontacted in 2005.


METHODS
These included cigarette smoking, cessation and purchase behaviors, awareness and use of the Quitline, and participation in tobacco industry promotions during the 3-year follow-up period.


RESULTS
During the 3-year follow-up period, 37 participants (13.5%) stopped smoking. Among smokers, the average number of daily cigarettes smoked decreased from 16.1 to 13.7 cigarettes (P < .01). There were significant increases in the proportion of smokers who reported that they had ever used a stop smoking medication (26.6% to 51.9%), had ever heard of the Quitline (32.5% to 73.0%), or had ever called the Quitline (4.2% to 11.0%). There was an increase in the use of tobacco industry coupons (41.1% to 59.3%).


CONCLUSIONS
Findings suggest that state and local tobacco control policies and programs are being increasingly utilized by this population; however, tobacco company price promotions are also being increasingly used, offsetting the public health benefit of the tobacco control policies and programs in this low-income population.
Department of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, New York 13210, USA. murphyji@upstate.edu
Jill M
JM
Murphy
Silvana Lawvere
SL
de Moreno
K Michael
KM
Cummings
Andrew
A
Hyland
Martin C
MC
Mahoney
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006306:Health Surveys; D015277:Hotlines; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009518:New York / Q000453:epidemiology; D011203:Poverty / Q000523:psychology*; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000379:methods / Q000523:psychology*; D040241:Social Marketing; D019460:Tobacco Industry; D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D055815:Young Adult
D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution