Use of tobacco price-minimization strategies among public housing residents compared to U.S. low-income adults

Authors

Craig T. Dearfield, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, United States. Electronic address: cdearfield@gwu.edu.
Kasra Zarei, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, Bethesda, MD, United States.
Kelvin Choi, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, Bethesda, MD, United States.
Debra H. Bernat, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, United States.

Document Type

Journal Article

Publication Date

10-22-2024

Journal

Drug and alcohol dependence

Volume

265

DOI

10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2024.112476

Keywords

Low-income populations; Public housing; Tobacco coupons; Tobacco expenditure minimizing strategies; Tobacco price; Tobacco use

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Price minimization strategies (PMS) are ways for people to save money on tobacco purchases especially among those of lower socioeconomic status. This study assesses PMS and coupon receipt among public housing residents compared to U.S. low-income adults. METHODS: Data were from adults who currently use tobacco and live in District of Columbia Housing Authority (DCHA) public housing (n=270) and a US nationally representative sample of low-income adults who currently use tobacco (n=820). We examined the prevalence of PMS use across demographic characteristics and smoking behaviors, and qualitatively compared them across the two datasets. RESULTS: Most DCHA resident participants (84.2 %) and US low-income adults who currently use tobacco (91.5 %) recently used at least one PMS to save money on tobacco. The top-three most common strategies among DCHA residents were saving cigarettes to finish later (35.6 %), smoking fewer cigarettes (32.2 %), and finding cheaper places to buy cigarettes (30.4 %), while among U.S. low-income adults these strategies were using coupons or promotions (62.7 %), purchasing by bulk (55.5 %), and finding cheaper places to buy tobacco products (53.6 %). People who lightly smoke in DCHA were more likely than people who heavily smoke to use PMS in general (25.0 % vs. 13.7 %) and smoke fewer cigarettes to save money (35.8 % vs. 19.2 %). US low-income people who lightly smoke were more likely than people who heavily smoke to cut back on tobacco use (61.9 % vs. 39.8 %). CONCLUSION: Most U.S. low-income individuals and DCHA residents who smoke engaged in PMS. Regulating these strategies while supporting tobacco use cessation may reduce the impact of tobacco in these populations.

APA Citation

Dearfield, Craig T.; Zarei, Kasra; Choi, Kelvin; and Bernat, Debra H., "Use of tobacco price-minimization strategies among public housing residents compared to U.S. low-income adults" (2024). GW Authored Works. Paper 5789.
https://hsrc.himmelfarb.gwu.edu/gwhpubs/5789

Department

Epidemiology