Tobacco use remains the leading cause of preventable death, attributable to more than 480,000 deaths per year in the United States. Neighborhood availability of tobacco retailers (tobacco retailer density) is associated with tobacco use behaviors, such as smoking initiation and relapse, among both youth and adults. Additionally, several studies have documented a greater availability of tobacco retailers in neighborhoods with lower socioeconomic status and a higher proportion of some racial and ethnic groups. In this webinar, Dr. Kong will discuss and review findings from studies to demonstrate how place-based interventions and policies may help continue progress in reducing tobacco use equitably.

About the Speaker

Amanda Kong, PhD, MPH is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Family and Preventive Medicine and at the TSET Health Promotion Research Center at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center. Dr. Kong is a public health and policy researcher who seeks to understand the commercial determinants of health with a focus on the inequitable availability and marketing of unhealthy commodities, such as tobacco products. Dr. Kong employs equity-centered analyses to measure and understand how cancer-related health behaviors and outcomes are related to the social and built environments in which people live, work, and interact. Her work focuses on measuring the impact of place-based tobacco control interventions, such as reducing tobacco retailer availability, on health and equity. Dr. Kong's research also critically evaluates the potential for public health policies to ameliorate or unintentionally exacerbate racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic health inequities.