A Policy Analysis of Preparedness for Hurricane Evacuations in the United States, 1990 to 2019: Implementation in Coastal States.

Hurricane or typhoon evacuations in the United States are typically managed by state, territorial, or tribal emergency management officials with federal, state, and local agency operational support. The evacuation process may involve issuing mandatory or "voluntary" evacuation orders to alert the community and mitigate loss of life and injury. We conducted an analysis of state and local hurricane evacuation policies identified through a literature review (January 1990 to June 2019) and key informant interviews with state public health and emergency management officials in Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Texas in October and November 2019.

Hurricane Evacuation Laws in Eight Southern U.S. Coastal States - December 2018.

National Preparedness month is observed every September as a public service reminder of the importance of personal and community preparedness for all events; it coincides with the peak of the hurricane season in the United States. Severe storms and hurricanes can have long-lasting effects at all community levels. Persons who are prepared and well-informed are often better able to protect themselves and others (1).

Community Lifeline Framework for Leveraging Stabilization in Response and Recovery to Major Hurricanes.

The United States (US) and Caribbean regions remain vulnerable to the impact of severe tropical storms, hurricanes, and typhoons. In 2017, a series of hurricanes posed threats to residents living in inland and coastal communities as well as on islands isolated from the US mainland. Harvey, Irma, Jose, and Maria caused catastrophic infrastructure damage, resulting in a loss of electrical power and communications due to damaged or downed utility poles, cell towers, and transmission lines.

Attitudes, Motivators, and Barriers to Emergency Preparedness Using the 2016 Styles Survey.

This study assessed adults' perceptions toward preparedness to better inform emergency planning efforts for households and communities. The 2016 , an Internet panel survey, was used to assess emergency preparedness competencies. Descriptive analyses were performed to describe the sociodemographic factors by preparedness status.

School District Crisis Preparedness, Response, and Recovery Plans - United States, 2006, 2012, and 2016.

Children spend the majority of their time at school and are particularly vulnerable to the negative emotional and behavioral impacts of disasters, including anxiety, depressive symptoms, impaired social relationships, and poor school performance (1). Because of concerns about inadequate school-based emergency planning to address the unique needs of children and the adults who support them, Healthy People 2020 includes objectives to improve school preparedness, response, and recovery plans (Preparedness [PREP]-5) (2). To examine improvements over time and gaps in school preparedness plans, data from the 2006, 2012, and 2016 School Health Policies and Practices Study (SHPPS) were analyzed to assess changes in the percentage of districts meeting PREP-5 objectives.

Cigarettes point of purchase patterns in 19 low-income and middle-income countries: Global Adult Tobacco Survey, 2008-2012.

Background: There is little information on cigarette-purchasing behaviour among smokers globally. Understanding cigarette purchase and point-of-sale patterns can help guide the development and implementation of tobacco-control strategies in retail environments.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to identify where adults in 19 countries last purchased cigarettes.

Enhancing individual and community disaster preparedness: Individuals with disabilities and others with access and functional needs.

Preparedness planning is essential to minimizing the impact of disasters on communities and individuals. Attention to the needs of people with disabilities is vital as they have additional needs before, during and after a disaster that are specific to the disabling condition. In this Commentary, we emphasize national guidelines on disability inclusion in emergency preparedness.

Point-of-sale cigarette purchase patterns among U.S. adult smokers-National Adult Tobacco Survey, 2012-2014.

Tobacco products are ubiquitous in most U.S. retail environments.

School District Crisis Preparedness, Response, and Recovery Plans - United States, 2012.

The unique characteristics of children dictate the need for school-based all-hazards response plans during natural disasters, emerging infectious diseases, and terrorism (1-3). Schools are a critical community institution serving a vulnerable population that must be accounted for in public health preparedness plans; prepared schools are adopting policies and plans for crisis preparedness, response, and recovery (2-4). The importance of having such plans in place is underscored by the development of a new Healthy People 2020 objective (PREP-5) to "increase the percentage of school districts that require schools to include specific topics in their crisis preparedness, response, and recovery plans" (5).

National and State-Specific Attitudes toward Smoke-Free Parks among U.S. Adults.

Outdoor places, such as parks, remain a source of secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure. We assessed attitudes toward smoke-free parks among U.S.

Receipt of evidence-based brief cessation interventions by health professionals and use of cessation assisted treatments among current adult cigarette-only smokers: National Adult Tobacco Survey, 2009-2010.

Background: Helping tobacco smokers to quit during a medical visit is a clinical and public health priority. Research suggests that most health professionals engage their patients in at least some of the '5 A's' of the brief cessation intervention recommended in the U.S.

Perceptions of harm from secondhand smoke exposure among U.S. adults, 2009-2010.

Background: Exposure to secondhand smoke (SHS) causes significant disease and death. We assessed the prevalence and correlates of perceptions about the health harm of SHS among U.S.

National and State Attitudes of US Adults Toward Tobacco-Free School Grounds, 2009-2010.

Introduction: Schools are an important environment for addressing tobacco use among youth. Tobacco-free school policies can help reduce the social acceptability of tobacco use and prevent tobacco initiation among youth. This study assessed attitudes toward tobacco-free school grounds among US adults.

Smoke-free home and vehicle rules by tobacco use status among US adults.

Objective: To assess the prevalence and characteristics of smoke-free home and vehicle rules by tobacco use.

Methods: Data came from the 2012-2013 National Adult Tobacco Survey, a telephone survey of adults aged ≥18. Respondents who reported smoking is 'never allowed' inside their home or any family vehicle were considered to have smoke-free home and vehicle rules, respectively.

Assessment of compliance with U.S. Public Health Service clinical practice guideline for tobacco by primary care physicians.

Background: The US Public Health Service clinical practice guideline treating tobacco use and dependence: 2008 update established an expanded standard of care, calling on physicians to consistently identify their patients who use tobacco and treat them using counseling and medication.

Findings: To assess compliance, we examined the extent to which physicians self-report following four of the five components of the 5A model: Ask about tobacco use, Advise patients who use tobacco to quit, Assist the patient in making a quit attempt, and Arrange for follow-up care. We used data from a Web-based panel survey administered to a convenience sample of 1,253 primary care providers (family/general practitioners, internists, and obstetrician/gynecologists).

The relation between tobacco taxes and youth and young adult smoking: what happened following the 2009 U.S. federal tax increase on cigarettes?

Background: On April 1, 2009, the federal government raised cigarette taxes from $0.39 to $1.01 per pack.

Does every US smoker bear the same cigarette tax?

Aims: To evaluate state cigarette excise tax pass-through rates for selected price-minimizing strategies.

Design: Multivariate regression analysis of current smokers from a stratified, national, dual-frame telephone survey.

Setting: United States.

Secondhand smoke and smoking restrictions in casinos: a review of the evidence.

Objective: There is no safe level of secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure. Most US casinos continue to allow smoking, thus exposing workers and patrons to the hazards of SHS. This paper reviews the scientific literature on air quality, SHS exposure, health effects and economic outcomes related to SHS and smoking restrictions in casinos, as well as on smoking prevalence among casino patrons and problem gamblers.

Relapse among cigarette smokers: the CARDIA longitudinal study - 1985-2011.

Rationale: There is little information about long-term relapse patterns for cigarette smokers.

Objective: To describe long-term prevalence of relapse and related smoking patterns by sex, race, age, and education level among a community-based cohort of young adults followed for 25 years.

Methods: We examined 25 years of data from Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA), an ongoing study of a community-based cohort of 5115 men and women aged 18 to 30 years at baseline with periodic re-examinations.

Reactions of adult smokers and former smokers to current US warning labels.

Objective: To assess current and former smokers' reactions to US warning labels as a baseline for comparison to new labels.

Methods: The mail-in Consumer-Styles survey was sent to a representative sample of US adult consumers in 2010 (N = 10,328).

Results: Among current smokers, 51.

Cigarette price minimization strategies in the United States: price reductions and responsiveness to excise taxes.

Introduction: Because cigarette price minimization strategies can provide substantial price reductions for individuals continuing their usual smoking behaviors following federal and state cigarette excise tax increases, we examined independent price reductions compensating for overlapping strategies. The possible availability of larger independent price reduction opportunities in states with higher cigarette excise taxes is explored.

Methods: Regression analysis used the 2006-2007 Tobacco Use Supplement of the Current Population Survey (N = 26,826) to explore national and state-level independent price reductions that smokers obtained from purchasing cigarettes (a) by the carton, (b) in a state with a lower average after-tax cigarette price than in the state of residence, and (c) in "some other way," including online or in another country.

Muscle-strengthening activities and participation among adults in the United States.

Purpose: To describe those who reported meeting the 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans (2008 Guidelines) muscle-strengthening standard of 2 or more days per week, including all seven muscle groups, and to assess the type and location of muscle-strengthening activities performed.

Method: Data from HealthStyles 2009, a cross-sectional, consumer mail-panel survey, was used for analyses (n = 4,271). The prevalence estimates with 95% confidence intervals of those meeting the 2008 Guidelines standards were calculated.