Sex, gender, and secondhand smoke policies: implications for disadvantaged women.

Context: Although implementation of secondhand smoke policies is increasing, little research has examined the unintended consequences of these policies for disadvantaged women.

Evidence Acquisition: Macro-, meso-, and micro-level issues connected to secondhand smoke and women are considered to illustrate the range of ways in which sex, gender, and disadvantage affect women's exposure to secondhand smoke. A review of current literature, primarily published between 2000 and 2008, on sex- and gender-based issues related to secondhand smoke exposure and the effects of secondhand smoke policies for various subpopulations of women, including low-income girls and women, nonwhite minority women, and pregnant women, was conducted in 2008.