A socioecological approach to addressing tobacco-related health disparities

Tobacco use remains the nation’s leading cause of preventable premature death, including death from cancer, and progress in reducing tobacco use and related disease and death has not been equally distributed across population groups. This monograph examines the current evidence surrounding tobacco-related health disparities (TRHD) across the tobacco use continuum—initiation, secondhand smoke exposure, current use, frequency and intensity, cessation, relapse, morbidity, and mortality—and the implications for future research and implementation of effective strategies.

As this monograph demonstrates, a central challenge for cancer control is to ensure that all Americans benefit from advances in tobacco control research and practice.