Summary: | Introduction
An emerging body of research has developed around tobacco retailer
density and its contribution to smoking behavior. This cross-sectional study
aimed to determine the association between tobacco retailer density and smoking
behavior in a rural Australian jurisdiction without a tobacco retailer licensing
system in place.
Methods
A local government database (updated 2018) of listed tobacco retailers
(n=93) was accessed and potential unlisted tobacco retailers (n=230) were
added using online searches. All retailers (n=323) were visited in 2019 and GPS
coordinates of retailers that sold tobacco (n=125) were assigned to suburbs in
ArcMap. A community survey conducted in the Local Government Area provided
smoking and sociodemographic data amongst adult respondents (n=8981).
Associations between tobacco retailer density (calculated as the number of retailers
per km2 based on respondents’ suburb of residence) and daily, occasional and
experimental smoking were assessed using multilevel logistic regression analysis.
Separate models with and without covariates were undertaken.
Results
Without adjusting for possible confounders, living in suburbs with greater
retailer density did not increase the odds of daily smoking (OR=1.01; 95% CI:
0.92–1.12), occasional smoking (OR=1.05; 95% CI: 0.94–1.18), or experimental
smoking (OR=0.98; 95% 0.92– 1.05). However, after adjustment, living in suburbs
with greater retailer density increased the odds of occasional smoking behavior
(AOR=1.37; 95% CI: 1.10–1.71) but not daily or experimental smoking.
Conclusions
This study found a significant positive association between tobacco
retailer density and the likelihood of occasional smoking in a rural Australian
jurisdiction without a tobacco retailer licensing system in place. The findings
strengthen calls for the introduction of a comprehensive, positive tobacco retailer
licensing system to provide a framework for improving compliance with legislation
and to reduce the overall availability of tobacco products in the community.
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