TY - JOUR
T1 - Strengthening tobacco control policies during the COVID-19 pandemic in India
AU - Mallya, Sneha D.
AU - Kulkarni, Muralidhar M.
AU - Kumar, Praveen
AU - Nair, Varsha
AU - Prabhath, M.
N1 - Funding Information:
Authors acknowledge guidance received from Professor Linda Bauld, Ms Fiona Davidson, Ms Fiona Dobbie from Usher Institute, University of Edinburgh, United Kingdom and Professor Jeff Collin and Mr Rob Ralston from School of Social and Political science, University of Edinburgh, United Kingdom during the identification of the research question and developing the tool. Authors are also thankful to the Tobacco Control Capacity Programme (MR/P027946/2) for providing leads to carry out research in applied aspects for tobacco control.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2022
PY - 2022/5/1
Y1 - 2022/5/1
N2 - Problem considered: The aim of this paper was to support policy makers to make informed decisions regarding public health response in general, and tobacco control interventions particularly, in the context of COVID-19. Methods: An online cross-sectional survey using a semi-structured questionnaire was conducted in the year 2020 with stakeholders in tobacco control and public health experts from private and government organizations. Information pertaining to background characteristics of study participants and impact of pandemic on tobacco use and means to leverage tobacco control policy was collected. Data was analysed using Microsoft excel 2010 and results are presented as frequencies and percentages along with key responses from open ended questions. Results: A total of 72 stakeholders were approached out of which, 46 (56.1%) responded and were included. About 32 (74.4%) of the participants thought that public health authorities had given advice on stopping tobacco use during COVID-19 pandemic. About 19 (43.2%) participants did not notice any change in level of interest in tobacco cessation during the pandemic while a majority 34(73.8%) agreed that COVID-19 pandemic had an impact on health seeking behaviour of patients with non-communicable diseases. Nearly half of participants, 21(48.8%) opined that tobacco industry was engaged in corporate social responsibilities during COVID-19. Conclusion: The stakeholders expressed that there is a good opportunity to further strengthen tobacco control activities during COVID-19 pandemic and also emphasized need to closely monitor tobacco industry interference during this time.
AB - Problem considered: The aim of this paper was to support policy makers to make informed decisions regarding public health response in general, and tobacco control interventions particularly, in the context of COVID-19. Methods: An online cross-sectional survey using a semi-structured questionnaire was conducted in the year 2020 with stakeholders in tobacco control and public health experts from private and government organizations. Information pertaining to background characteristics of study participants and impact of pandemic on tobacco use and means to leverage tobacco control policy was collected. Data was analysed using Microsoft excel 2010 and results are presented as frequencies and percentages along with key responses from open ended questions. Results: A total of 72 stakeholders were approached out of which, 46 (56.1%) responded and were included. About 32 (74.4%) of the participants thought that public health authorities had given advice on stopping tobacco use during COVID-19 pandemic. About 19 (43.2%) participants did not notice any change in level of interest in tobacco cessation during the pandemic while a majority 34(73.8%) agreed that COVID-19 pandemic had an impact on health seeking behaviour of patients with non-communicable diseases. Nearly half of participants, 21(48.8%) opined that tobacco industry was engaged in corporate social responsibilities during COVID-19. Conclusion: The stakeholders expressed that there is a good opportunity to further strengthen tobacco control activities during COVID-19 pandemic and also emphasized need to closely monitor tobacco industry interference during this time.
UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85130336430
UR - https://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85130336430&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.cegh.2022.101057
DO - 10.1016/j.cegh.2022.101057
M3 - Article
C2 - 35578719
AN - SCOPUS:85130336430
SN - 2213-3984
VL - 15
SP - 101057
JO - Clinical Epidemiology and Global Health
JF - Clinical Epidemiology and Global Health
M1 - 101057
ER -
