The use of cessation assistance among smokers from China: Findings from the ITC China Survey

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Stop smoking medications significantly increase the likelihood of smoking cessation. However, there are no population-based studies of stop-smoking medication use in China, the largest tobacco market in the world. This study examined stop-smoking medication use and its association with quitting behavior among a population-based sample of Chinese smokers.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Face-to-face interviews were conducted with 4,627 smokers from six cities in the ITC China cohort survey. Longitudinal analyses were conducted using Wave 1 (April to August, 2006) and Wave 2 (November 2007 to January 2008).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Approximately 26% of smokers had attempted to quit between Waves 1 and 2, and 6% were abstinent at 18-month follow-up. Only 5.8% of those attempting to quit reported NRT use and NRT was associated with lower odds of abstinence at Wave 2 (OR = 0.11; 95%CI = 0.03-0.46). Visiting a doctor/health professional was associated with greater attempts to quit smoking (OR = 1.60 and 2.78; 95%CI = 1.22-2.10 and 2.21-3.49 respectively) and being abstinent (OR = 1.77 and 1.85; 95%CI = 1.18-2.66 and 1.13-3.04 respectively) at 18-month follow-up relative to the smokers who did not visit doctor/health professional.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The use of formal help for smoking cessation is low in China. There is an urgent need to explore the use and effectiveness of stop-smoking medications in China and in other non-Western markets.</p

ITC Kenya National report : using research evidence to enhance multisectoral cooperation and action in tobacco control; final technical report

As rates of smoking decline in developed countries, Africa has become the focus for tobacco company marketing efforts. The ITC (International Tobacco Control Policy Evaluation Project) Kenya National Report lays the foundation for stronger implementation of the FCTC and provides timely evidence of the need for stronger tobacco control policies; Kenya’s current 2014 regulations are under legal challenge by British American Tobacco (BAT) Kenya Limited. The dissemination workshop aims to strengthen linkages and collaboration between the research community in tobacco control, multisectoral government institutions, civil society, and individual experts in the health and development sectors

Cancer prevention: When knowledge of cancer prevention is not enough

It has long been recognized that knowledge of cancer can influence an individual’s lifestyle and health behaviors, and it is hoped that policy makers and medical professionals will use cancer knowledge as a tool in the fight against cancer. However, it is important not only for levels of cancer prevention knowledge to be increased in the community but also for key barriers to subsequent behavioral changes to be identified and removed if the massive cancer burden in China is to be addressed.Full Tex

Prevalence of lower harm perceptions of cigarette product characteristics: findings from 10 low-middle-income countries from the ITC project

Background A major objective of FCTC Article 9, which calls for tobacco product regulation, is to eliminate or reduce tobacco industry product design strategies that have been shown to lead smokers to believe that some cigarettes are less harmful than others. However, nearly all of the studies documenting beliefs about harm perceptions have come from high-income countries; little is known whether the same misperceptions about harmfulness are present in low-middle income countries (LMICs)&#8213; where 80% of the world's smokers reside. This study measured the level of perceptions of harmfulness of light and menthol cigarettes among smokers from 10 LMICs of the International Tobacco Control (ITC) Project. Methods Cross-sectional analyses of ITC surveys in Bangladesh, Brazil, China, India, Kenya, Malaysia, Mauritius, Mexico, Thailand, and Zambia were conducted using the country's most recent survey wave (ranging from 2011 to 2016). Adult smokers were asked whether each of three design features— (1) light/low tar, (2) filters, and (3) menthol—were less harmful. Results The percentage of smokers with erroneous beliefs was variable but substantial: 'light cigarettes are less harmful': 21% (Mexico) to 66% (China); 'low tar cigarettes are less harmful': 41% (Zambia) to 71% (China); 'menthol cigarettes are less harmful': 11% (Brazil) to 52% (China); 'filters reduce harm': 36% (Mexico) to 82% (China); 'if a cigarette tastes lighter, it is less harmful': 39% (Zambia) to 71% (Kenya). [POH 10 LMICs ITC] Conclusions A substantial proportion of smokers in the 10 LMICs erroneously believe that light, low tar, and menthol cigarettes are less harmful, and that filters reduce harm. This is particularly disturbing in China, where prevalence of industry-induced misconceptions was the highest for 4 of the 5 measures. These findings point to the necessity of Article 9 regulations to restrict/ban product design features that mislead consumers about the harmfulness of tobacco products, particularly in LMICs