Community dynamics influencing commercial tobacco control policy development on California American Indian lands: a qualitative analysis of baseline CAITIE data

TL;DR

This study explores how community dynamics influence the development of commercial tobacco control policies in California American Indian communities.

Contribution

The study provides new insights into the factors that support or hinder policy development in Tribal communities.

Findings

Changing social norms and Tribal leadership support new tobacco control policies.

Respect for autonomy and concerns about lost revenue oppose new policies.

Understanding these dynamics can improve efforts to reduce tobacco use in Tribal communities.

Abstract

Commercial tobacco control policies are credited with substantially decreasing the rates of commercial tobacco use among the general US population over the last few decades, yet determining the attitudes, values and beliefs that make such policies more or less appropriate for American Indian communities remains of great interest in efforts to address tobacco-related health disparities.

Through the qualitative analysis of 57 baseline interviews conducted by the CAITIE project in 2021 and 2022, we explain and explore community dynamics that favor or oppose new commercial tobacco control policies in California American Indian communities.

The community dynamics that favor new policies include themes of changing social norms and the influence of Tribal leadership. The community dynamics that oppose new policies include respect for autonomy, preference for ‘small-p’ policies, and concern for lost revenue.

An understanding of these community dynamics may help to inform more fruitful efforts to address commercial tobacco use both within Tribal communities and in partnerships between Natives and non-Natives.