Are State legislatures responding to public opinion when allocating funds for tobacco control programs?

This study explored the factors associated with state-level allocations to tobacco-control programs. The primary research question was whether public sentiment regarding tobacco control was a significant factor in the states' 2001 budget decisions. In addition to public opinion, several additional political and economic measures were considered. Significant associations were found between our outcome, state-level tobacco-control funding per capita, and key variables of interest including public opinion, amount of tobacco settlement received, the party affiliation of the governor, the state's smoking rate, excise tax revenue received, and whether the state was a major producer of tobacco. The findings from this study supported our hypothesis that states with citizens who favor more restrictive indoor air policies allocate more to tobacco control. Effective public education to change public opinion and the cultural norms surrounding smoking may affect political decisions and, in turn, increase funding for crucial public health programs.

The Effect of Slum Redevelopment on Child Health Outcomes: Evidence from Mumbai

As the population of urban poor living in slums increases, governments are trying to relocate people into government-provided free housing. Slum redevelopment affects every part of a household’s livelihood, but most importantly the health and wellbeing of younger generations. This paper investigates the effect of slum redevelopment schemes on child stunting levels. Data was collected in forty-one buildings under the slum-redevelopment program in Mumbai. The study demonstrates through a fixed effect regression analysis that an additional year of living in the building is associated with an increase in the height-for-age Z-score by 0.124 standard deviations. Possible explanations include an improvement in the overall hygienic environment, sanitation conditions, indoor air pollution, and access to health and water facilities. However, anecdotal evidence suggests that water contamination, loss of livelihood and increased expenses could worsen health outcomes for residents. This study prompts more research on the health effects of slum redevelopment projects, which are becoming increasingly common in the rapidly urbanizing developing world.

Air pollution, Fuel Usage and Health Outcomes in Madre de Dios, Peru: a Comparative Cross Sectional Study

Air pollution is a common problem. Particulate matter generated from air pollution has been tied to adverse health outcomes associated with cardiovascular disease. Biomass fuels are a specific contributor to increased particulate matter and arise as a result of indoor heating, cook stoves and indoor food preparation. This is a two part cross sectional study looking at communities in the Madre de Dios region. Survey data was collected from 9 communities along the Madre de Dios River. Individual level household PM2.5 was also collected as a means to generate average PM data stratified by fuel use. Data collection was affected by a number of outside factors, which resulted in a loss of data. Results from the cross-sectional study indicate that hypertension is not a significant source of morbidity. Obesity is prevalent and significantly associated with kitchen venting method indicating a potential relationship.