Publications of Tracy Falba
%% Journal Articles
@article{RefWorks:87,
Author = {Snyder, A and Falba, T and Busch, S and Sindelar,
J},
Title = {Are State legislatures responding to public opinion when
allocating funds for tobacco control programs?},
Journal = {Health Promotion Practice},
Volume = {5},
Number = {3 Suppl},
Pages = {35S-45S},
Year = {2004},
Month = {July},
ISSN = {1524-8399},
url = {http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15231095},
Keywords = {Health Promotion/*economics; Humans; Politics; *Public
Opinion; *Resource Allocation; Smoking/epidemiology/*prevention
& control; *State Government; Tobacco Industry/economics/*legislation
& jurisprudence; United States/epidemiology},
Abstract = {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.},
Doi = {10.1177/1524839904264591},
Key = {RefWorks:87}
}
@article{RefWorks:96,
Author = {Falba, TA and Sindelar, JL},
Title = {Spousal concordance in health behavior change},
Journal = {Health Services Research},
Volume = {43},
Number = {1},
Pages = {96-116},
Year = {2008},
ISSN = {0017-9124},
url = {http://www.econ.duke.edu/},
Keywords = {spouse; smoking; alcohol; exercise; preventive services;
smoking-cessation; husbands; marriage; support; maintenance;
patterns; families; history; model},
Abstract = {Objective. This study examines the degree to which a married
individual's health habits and use of preventive medical
care are influenced by his or her spouse's behaviors. Study
Design. Using longitudinal data on individuals and their
spouses, we examine changes over time in the health habits
of each person as a function of changes in his or her
spouse's health habits. Specifically, we analyze changes in
smoking, drinking, exercising, cholesterol screening, and
obtaining a flu shot. Data Source. This study uses data from
the Health and Retirement Study (HRS), a nationally
representative sample of individuals born between 1931 and
1941 and their spouses. Beginning in 1992, 12,652 persons
(age-eligible individuals as well as their spouses) from
7,702 households were surveyed about many aspects of their
life, including health behaviors, use of preventive
services, and disease diagnosis. Sample. The analytic sample
includes 6,072 individuals who are married at the time of
the initial HRS survey and who remain married and in the
sample at the time of the 1996 and 2000 waves. Principal
Findings. We consistently find that when one spouse improves
his or her behavior, the other spouse is likely to do so as
well. This is found across all the behaviors analyzed, and
persists despite controlling for many other factors.
Conclusions. Simultaneous changes occur in a number of
health behaviors. This conclusion has prescriptive
implications for developing interventions, treatments, and
policies to improve health habits and for evaluating the
impact of such measures.},
Key = {RefWorks:96}
}