Examining Tobacco Outlet Concentration in New Jersey: Does Income and Ethnicity Matter?

Abstract

This study examined the geographic association between tobacco outlet density and the demographic indicators of median household income and percentage of Hispanic residents in New Jersey. Tobacco outlet density was assessed by examining all tobacco retailers licensed in 2004 in New Jersey, and demographic variables were based on the 2000 United States Census. Results indicated that the percentage of Hispanic residents and median household income were both salient predictors of tobacco outlet density. We also observed that income level moderated the relationship between the percentage of Hispanics residents and tobacco outlet density. Implications for environmentally based tobacco prevention and control initiatives are discussed.

KEYWORDS:

• environmentally-based prevention strategies
• Hispanics
• tobacco outlet density

Notes

Note: R² = .38 for Step 1: ΔR² = .13 (p < .001) for Step 2: ΔR² = .09 (p < .001) for Step 3. Overall Model R² = .51.

***p < .001, *p < .05.