Use of tobacco price-minimization strategies among public housing residents compared to US low-income adults

Background: Price minimization strategies (PMS) are ways for people to save money on tobacco purchases especially among those of lower socioeconomic status. This study assesses PMS and coupon receipt among public housing residents compared to U.S. low-income adults. Methods: Data were from adults who currently use tobacco and live in District of Columbia Housing Authority (DCHA) public housing (n=270) and a US nationally representative sample of low-income adults who currently use tobacco (n=820). We examined the prevalence of PMS use across demographic characteristics and smoking behaviors, and qualitatively compared them across the two datasets. Results: Most DCHA resident participants (84.2 %) and US low-income adults who currently use tobacco (91.5 %) recently used at least one PMS to save money on tobacco. The top-three most common strategies among DCHA residents were saving cigarettes to finish later (35.6 %), smoking fewer cigarettes (32.2 %), and finding cheaper places to buy cigarettes (30.4 %), while among U.S. low-income adults these strategies were using coupons or promotions (62.7 %), purchasing by bulk (55.5 %), and finding cheaper places to buy tobacco products (53.6 %). People who lightly smoke in DCHA were more likely than people who heavily smoke to use PMS in general (25.0 % vs. 13.7 %) and smoke fewer cigarettes to save money (35.8 % vs. 19.2 %). US low-income people who lightly smoke were more likely than people who heavily smoke to cut back on tobacco use (61.9 % vs. 39.8 %). Conclusion: Most U.S. low-income individuals and DCHA residents who smoke engaged in PMS. Regulating these strategies while supporting tobacco use cessation may reduce the impact of tobacco in these populations.