Contributing to statewide tobacco survey development and data analysis

Background:

The Indiana Tobacco Prevention and Cessation has administered the Indiana Adult Tobacco Survey (ATS) biennially since 2002. It is the most comprehensive data source on state adult tobacco use, including issues such as tobacco use prevalence and trends, cessation, and attitudes toward smoking and tobacco-related policies, as well as related issues like cannabis products. This information allows the state to implement effective tobacco prevention and cessation interventions. In 2021, the Indiana Department of Health contracted with PDA to provide a comprehensive evaluation of their program activities, including conducting the ATS.

Approach:

We collaborated with the client to develop the 2021-2022 IN ATS questionnaire and add new items related to emerging tobacco products, secondhand smoke exposure, media awareness, cannabis use and exposure, and demographics. We also made the questionnaire available in Spanish in addition to English.

Results:

After cleaning, weighing, and analyzing the data set, we produced an ATS summary of findings from surveying 2,002 adults in Indiana. The summary highlights important information regarding adult tobacco use and attitudes in clear and concise language and data visualizations that are understandable for the general population. We also produced a more in-depth data brief on findings related to tobacco cessation. These reports are available on the Indiana Department of Health’s website for public viewing. Indiana Tobacco Prevention and Cessation has also shared results with a variety of partners around the state. With the additional demographic data collected, we were able to produce estimates to look at the discrepancies in tobacco use and which populations are disproportionately impacted by tobacco. These findings help the program focus its resources on priority populations and promote health equity.