Tobacco control research
The tobacco control research is led by Nick Wilson, George Thomson and Richard Edwards.
Other investigators with an interest in this area of research include:
Key areas of research include the following:
- Evaluation of policy interventions for tobacco control
- The environmental influences on smoking and smoking-related behaviours
- The relationship between tobacco use and health inequalities, and the ways that tobacco control can reduce health inequalities.
- The impact of second-hand smoke on health and its control
- The behaviour and regulation of the tobacco industry
- Investigation of how tobacco control policy is formed and implemented by governments.
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Examples of current and recently completed research
Evaluation of the 2003 Smokefree Environments Amendment Act
This was a multifaceted evaluation commissioned by the Ministry of Health and carried in collaboration with colleagues at the School of Population Health, Auckland University, The Health Sponsorship Council, and Whakauae Research Services. The evaluation was generally highly positive about the impact of the 2003 Act and the way in which it had been implemented.
However, the evaluation revealed several areas for further policy-orientated research:
- What is the degree of SHS exposure in cars and how common is smoking in cars, particularly in the presence of children? Is further legislation justified?
- What is the degree of exposure of staff and non-smoking customers to SHS in outdoor smoking areas? Is tightening of the current legislation required?
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Edwards R, Bullen C, O'Dea D, Glover M, et al. After the Smoke has Cleared: Evaluation of the Impact of a New Smokefree Law . New Zealand Ministry of Health, Wellington: December 2006.
Edwards R, Thomson G, Wilson N, et al. After the smoke has cleared: evaluation of the impact of a new national smoke-free law in New Zealand. Tob Control. 2008;17:doi:10.1136/tc.2007.020347. http://tobaccocontrol.bmj.com/cgi/content/full/17/1/e2
Point-of-sale displays
The main source of advertising and marketing of tobacco products in New Zealand is through point of sale advertising. Research commissioned by the Cancer Society and carried out be a team of medical students supervised by members of the unit has shown that the current legislation is poorly enforced and breeches are common. Further research to evaluate the current legislation and any subsequent changes is required.
Anang S, Ng B, Quegley M, et al. Cigarettes and candy. The Cancer Society of New Zealand (PDF)
Members of HePPRU are now involved with a programme of research and reviews investigating this issue further. This includes:
- A systematic review of the impact of point of sale advertising and displays on smoking related behaviours (led by Janine Paynter of ASH)
- Qualitative studies of the international experience with point of display bans, retailer perceptions and views, and the impact of point of sale displays on children
- Thomson G, Edwards R, Hudson S, Hoek J, Gifford H. Out of sight: Evidence on the tobacco retail environment in New Zealand and overseas (Report for ASH NZ and the Cancer Society). University of Otago. Wellington. February 2008.
- Edwards R, Thomson G, Hoek J, Gifford H, Pirikahu G. The attitudes and knowledge of retail sector staff to selling tobacco products (Report for ASH NZ and the Cancer Society). University of Otago. Wellington. December 2007
Tobacco Taxation
The single most important intervention to reduce smoking prevalence is price increases through tobacco taxation. The Smokefree Coalition and New Zealand ASH have commissioned a report led by researchers from the Department of Public Health (Des O'Dea, lead researcher) to investigate the economic costs of tobacco smoking and the case for increases in tobacco taxation and the dedication of tobacco tax revenue to health-related funding.
The preliminary findings were presented at a seminar in Auckland in August 2007, and the full reports are linked to below:
Observation Study
Poorer smokers smoke cigarettes closer to the butt
Smokers in poorer suburbs appear to smoke their cigarettes closer to the butt. This is the conclusion of a recently published study by the University of Otago, Wellington which looked at the smoking patterns in Wellington suburbs with different socio-economic status.
http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/content~content=a793510983~db=all~jumptype=rss
International Tobacco Control Policy Evaluation Survey (the ITC Project – NZ arm)
This is the New Zealand arm of an international collaborative project which aims to explore the impact of national level tobacco control policies through analysis of changes in knowledge, attitudes and behaviours among cohorts of smokers.
The New Zealand arm is unique in recruiting smokers from an existing national health survey, allowing cross-linkage to detailed health and social data, and in having a large sample of smokers from an indigenous people, New Zealand Māori.
The study is funded by the Health Research Council of New Zealand.
The Principal Investigator is Nick Wilson.
Pursuing the endgame for tobacco control: how to communicate cutting edge tobacco control policies to key audiences
The aim is to develop and explore ways of framing and communicating to key audiences radical proposals for structural reform to facilitate the introduction of more effective tobacco control policies.
This project is funded by the Marsden Fund.
The Principal Investigator is Richard Edwards.
Developing Strategies to reduce smoking uptake and SHS exposure of NZ Children
This project is funded by the Health Research Council. The aim is to develop theoretically and empirically coherent models of the influences on smoking initiation and secondhand smoke exposure among children and young people, including assessing the influence of parents and care-givers.
These models will be used to develop intervention strategies for Māori communities, which will be tested for feasibility with representatives of those communities.
The Principal Investigator is Richard Edwards.
The Smokefree Project: Policy decision making for smokefree kids
This project will explore the determinants of policies that affect the extent of smoking around children. The focus is on the knowledge and attitudes of policymakers. It will identify ideas on how to achieve progress on smokefree homes, cars and community property.
The project is funded by the Health Research Council, and will run until late 2010. The Principal Investigator is George Thomson.
Publications
Presentations
