Dataset Information

COVID-19 Stay-at-home Orders and Secondhand Smoke in Public Housing.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

To better understand the inequitable impact of the pandemic by examining associations between stay-at-home orders and indoor smoking in public housing, measured by ambient particulate matter (PM_2.5), a marker for secondhand smoke (SHS).

Methods

PM_2.5 was measured in six public housing buildings in Norfolk, VA from 2018 - 2022. Multi-level regression was used to compare the seven-week period of the Virginia stay-at-home order in 2020 with that period in other years.

Results

Indoor PM_2.5 was 10.29 μg/m³ higher in 2020 (95% CI [8.51, 12.07]) relative to the same period in 2019, a 72% increase. While PM_2.5 improved in 2021 and 2022, it remained elevated relative to 2019.

Conclusions

Stay-at-home orders likely led to increased indoor SHS in public housing. In light of evidence linking air pollutants, including SHS, with COVID-19, these results also provide further evidence of the disproportionate impact of the pandemic on socioeconomically disadvantaged communities. This consequence of the pandemic response is unlikely to be isolated and calls for a critical examination of the COVID-19 experience to avoid similar policy failures in future public health crises.

SUBMITTER: Gehlert S

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9984233 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Publications

COVID-19 Stay-At-Home Orders and Secondhand Smoke in Public Housing.

Gehlert Sarah S Rees Vaughan W VW Choi Kelvin K Jackson Peter D PD Sheehan Brynn E BE Grucza Richard A RA Paulson Amy C AC Plunk Andrew D AD

American journal of preventive medicine 20230304 3

<h4>Introduction</h4>This study aimed to better understand the inequitable impact of the pandemic by examining the associations between stay-at-home orders and indoor smoking in public housing, measured by ambient particulate matter at the 2.5-micron threshold, a marker for secondhand smoke.<h4>Methods</h4>Particulate matter at the 2.5-micron threshold was measured in 6 public-housing buildings in Norfolk, VA from 2018 to 2022. Multilevel regression was used to compare the 7-week period of the V ...[more]

PMID: 36871639

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Project description:ImportanceSecondhand smoke (SHS) exposure is associated with many health conditions in children and adults. Millions of individuals in the US are currently exposed to SHS in their homes.ObjectiveTo investigate whether a federal ban on smoking in public housing settings was associated with a decrease in indoor SHS levels in New York City public housing developments 12 months after the policy's implementation.Design, setting, and participantsThis cohort study tracked indoor air quality longitudinally from April 2018 to September 2019 and used difference-in-differences analysis to examine SHS exposure before vs after implementation of the 2018 federal smoke-free housing (SFH) policy in 10 New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) buildings vs 11 matched low-income buildings not subject to the SFH policy (ie, Section 8 buildings).ExposuresFederal SFH policy implementation, beginning July 30, 2018.Main outcomes and measuresComparison of nicotine concentration levels from passive, bisulfate-coated filters before vs 12 months after implementation of the federal SFH policy. Secondary outcomes included changes in particulate matter less than 2.5 μm in diameter, measured with low-cost particle monitors, and counts of cigarette butts in common areas.ResultsAir quality was measured repeatedly in a total of 153 NYCHA and 110 Section 8 nonsmoking households as well as in 91 stairwells and hallways. Before the SFH policy implementation, air nicotine was detectable in 19 of 20 stairwells (95.0%) in NYCHA buildings and 15 of 19 stairwells (78.9%) in Section 8 buildings (P = .19) and in 17 of 19 hallways (89.5%) in NYCHA buildings and 14 of 23 hallways (60.9%) in Section 8 buildings (P = .004). Nicotine was detected less frequently inside nonsmoking apartments overall (26 of 263 [9.9%]) but more frequently in NYCHA apartments (20 of 153 [13.1%]) than in Section 8 apartments (6 of 110 [5.5%]) (P = .04). One year after policy implementation, there was no differential change over time in nicotine concentrations measured in stairwells (DID, 0.03 μg/m3; 95% CI, -0.99 to 1.06 μg/m3) or inside nonsmoking households (DID, -0.04 μg/m3; 95% CI, -0.24 to 0.15 μg/m3). Larger decreases in nicotine concentration were found in NYCHA hallways than in Section 8 hallways (DID, -0.43 μg/m3; 95% CI, -1.26 to 0.40 μg/m3).Conclusions and relevanceThe findings suggest that there was no differential change in SHS in NYCHA buildings 12 months after SFH policy implementation. Additional support may be needed to ensure adherence to SFH policies.