School proximity and census tract correlates of e-cigarette specialty retail outlets (vape shops) in central Texas

E-cigarettes are the most widely used tobacco product among middle and high school students in the United States. This study investigates the proximity of e-cigarette retail outlets (vape shops) to middle and high schools in Austin, Texas, as well as the sociodemographic determinants of outlet presence, at the census tract level. A proximity analysis was conducted using school geo-data derived from the Texas Education Agency and vape shop geo-data derived from a validated online search. Logistic regressions using 5-year estimates of the 2014 American Community Survey were performed to determine the correlates of vape shop presence in census tracts. Overall, 20% of the census tracts in Austin, Texas, had at least one vape shop. The proportion of vape shop-containing census tracts that met the criteria for classification as a “poverty area” (36.5%) was greater than that of vape shop-free census tracts (26.3%). Vape shops were more likely to be present in census tracts classified as poverty areas; however, the odds of vape shop presence declined as the percentage of the non-Hispanic Black population and the percentage of persons aged 10–14 years in census tracts increased. About 40% of the vape shops were located within 0.5 miles of a middle or high school. Sociodemographic disparities exist in the e-cigarette retail environment. In addition to the need to address the disparities identified in this study, our results showing the presence of vape shops within walkable distances of schools calls for tighter regulations and continued surveillance around the marketing practices of e-cigarette retailers.