Lung cancer incidence and the strength of municipal smoke-free ordinances

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

15 Scopus citations

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Smoke-free laws reduce disease prevalence. The impact of municipal smoke-free laws on lung cancer incidence in Kentucky was examined. The authors hypothesized that lung cancer incidence rates would be associated with the strength of smoke-free laws. METHODS: This was a secondary analysis of 83,727 Kentucky residents aged ≥ 50 years who were newly diagnosed with lung cancer from 1995 to 2014. In 2014, 33 municipalities had 1 or more smoke-free laws. County-level characteristics included adult smoking rate, sex, race/ethnicity, income, physician supply, observed radon values, and rurality. RESULTS: Individuals living in communities with comprehensive smoke-free laws were 7.9% less likely than those living in communities without smoke-free protections to be diagnosed with lung cancer. The difference in lung cancer incidence between counties with moderate/weak laws and those without laws was not significant. CONCLUSIONS: Comprehensive smoke-free laws were associated with fewer new cases of lung cancer, whereas weak or moderate smoke-free laws did not confer the same benefit. One hundred percent smoke-free laws, covering all workers and the public with few or no exceptions, may be key in reducing new cases of lung cancer. Cancer 2018;124:374-80.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)374-380
Number of pages7
JournalCancer
Volume124
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - Jan 15 2018

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
Ellen J. Hahn reports grants from the Kentucky Department for Public Health Tobacco Prevention and Cessation Program and from the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky, outside the submitted work. The remaining authors made no disclosures.

Publisher Copyright:
© 2017 American Cancer Society

Funding

Ellen J. Hahn reports grants from the Kentucky Department for Public Health Tobacco Prevention and Cessation Program and from the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky, outside the submitted work. The remaining authors made no disclosures.

FundersFunder number
Kentucky Department for Public Health Tobacco

    Keywords

    • lung neoplasms
    • primary prevention
    • risk factors
    • smoke-free policy
    • smoking

    ASJC Scopus subject areas

    • Oncology
    • Cancer Research

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