Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
8.5
Journals
IJERPH
Special Issues
Smoking and Tobacco Use: A Health Equity Perspective
ijerph-logo
Submit to Special Issue Submit Abstract to Special Issue Review for IJERPH Propose a Special Issue

Journal Menu

► Journal Menu

Journal Browser

► Journal Browser
share announcement

Smoking and Tobacco Use: A Health Equity Perspective

A special issue of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (ISSN 1660-4601). This special issue belongs to the section "Global Health".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 January 2027 | Viewed by 3814

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Uma S. Nair

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Nursing, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33612, USA
Interests: tobacco; smoking; health equity; behavioral interventions
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Tobacco use continues to be the leading preventable cause of death and disease globally. While the past several decades have witnessed a decline in the prevalence of tobacco use, certain marginalized and minoritized populations continue to experience high rates of tobacco use, making tobacco use a health equity issue. Reasons contributing to these disparities include socioeconomic factors, structural racism, targeted tobacco ads to certain sub-groups, and barriers in uniform access to evidence-based cessation services. Moreover, low-income individuals, racial and ethnic minorities, LGBTQ+ individuals, and those with mental health issues face unique barriers to successfully quitting smoking/tobacco use, thereby exacerbating tobacco-related health disparities. To advance health equity, we must explore policies, innovative interventions, and research to address these barriers, while examining the efficacy of innovative and adapted interventions tailored for these sub-groups of individuals. For this Special Issue, we invite submissions that examine smoking and tobacco use through a health equity lens. We welcome original research that examines disparities in tobacco use, innovative cessation interventions, or explores the impact of social determinants on smoking/tobacco use behaviors. Submissions focusing on community-driven solutions, culturally tailored interventions, and strategies to address tobacco-related health inequities are especially encouraged. 

Dr. Uma S. Nair
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2500 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • smoking
  • tobacco use
  • LGBTQ+ populations
  • low-income/low SES
  • indigenous/racial and ethnic disparities
  • culturally tailored interventions for tobacco use
  • mHealth interventions
  • behavioral interventions

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (2 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

12 pages, 273 KB  
Article
Decision-Making on Nicotine Replacement Therapy Use and Product Selection: An Explorative Qualitative Study Among Chinese Americans Who Smoke
by Nan Jiang, Jennifer Yang, Sue A. Kaplan, Erin S. Rogers, Janice Y. Tsoh, Joanne Chen Lyu and Scott E. Sherman
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2026, 23(3), 372; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph23030372 - 16 Mar 2026
Viewed by 607
Abstract
Chinese Americans who smoke have low use of nicotine replacement therapy (NRT). This study explored perceptions of NRT and decision-making around product choice among Chinese American smokers who received NRT. From September 2023 to January 2024, we conducted in-depth phone interviews with 20 [...] Read more.
Chinese Americans who smoke have low use of nicotine replacement therapy (NRT). This study explored perceptions of NRT and decision-making around product choice among Chinese American smokers who received NRT. From September 2023 to January 2024, we conducted in-depth phone interviews with 20 participants recruited in New York City from a WeChat-based cessation pilot trial and a community-based cessation program, both providing free nicotine patches, gum, or lozenges. Participants (aged 26–72; 85% male; 60% current smoking) included 12 consistent NRT users (≥2 weeks), four trial users (<2 weeks), and four non-users. Five participants (25%) had never heard of NRT before program enrollment, and 14 (70%) had never used it previously. Consistent users generally viewed NRT as helpful in reducing cravings. Others reported barriers, including culturally rooted skepticism toward pharmacotherapy, preference for unassisted quitting, lack of readiness to quit, prior negative experiences, and unpleasant taste or side effects. Product choice was influenced by lay knowledge, ease of integrating NRT into daily routines, perceived effectiveness, and taste and side effects. Cessation programs addressing cultural beliefs, reframing willpower, engaging individuals not ready, and providing diverse NRT options with guidance on side effect management and routine integration may increase NRT use among this population. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Smoking and Tobacco Use: A Health Equity Perspective)
16 pages, 295 KB  
Article
Tobacco-Related Knowledge Among Employees at Substance Use Treatment and Medical Healthcare Centers Serving Rural and Medically Underserved Patients with Substance Use Disorders in Texas, USA
by Jedidiah A. Feyisetan, Maggie Britton, Tzuan A. Chen, Isabel Martinez Leal, Mhyank S. Sekhar, Teresa Williams, Kathleen Casey, Ammar D. Siddiqi and Lorraine R. Reitzel
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2025, 22(11), 1701; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph22111701 - 11 Nov 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1040
Abstract
Background: Tobacco use, and particularly cigarette smoking, is elevated among patients with substance use disorders (SUDs), resulting in health inequities. In rural and medically underserved areas (MUAs), healthcare access is limited; thus, patients with SUDs may receive care in substance use treatment centers [...] Read more.
Background: Tobacco use, and particularly cigarette smoking, is elevated among patients with substance use disorders (SUDs), resulting in health inequities. In rural and medically underserved areas (MUAs), healthcare access is limited; thus, patients with SUDs may receive care in substance use treatment centers (SUTCs) and/or medical healthcare centers (MHCs). Healthcare providers in these settings should know the importance and benefits of quitting tobacco use for patients with SUDs, as this is essential for effective cessation care. This study examined baseline provider knowledge/training receipt and knowledge gains following training in SUTCs and MHCs serving rural and MUAs of Texas, USA. Methods: From 2021 to 2024, 428 providers from 8 SUTCs and 8 MHCs completed an e-survey on tobacco knowledge and past-year training. They then completed 1 to 1.5 h of training. Knowledge gain was assessed via a 10-item test delivered pre- and post-training. Results: Pre-training knowledge and past-year training rates were low across settings; providers at SUTCs were more likely than those at MHCs to know that persons with behavioral disorders like substance misuse are 2 times more likely to smoke than the general USA population. Both groups demonstrated significant knowledge gains from training (SUTCs: 37.41% and MHCs: 45.92% increases; ps < 0.0001). Conclusions: Findings support the need for routine tobacco training in healthcare centers serving rural and MUAs of Texas. Brief educational sessions may help address provider knowledge gaps and, ultimately, strengthen cessation care and reduce tobacco-related disparities in these settings. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Smoking and Tobacco Use: A Health Equity Perspective)
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-2
Back to TopTop