Public Health Communication Strategies To Reduce Population Smoking Prevalence
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$753,300.00
Summary
This research program will investigate the potential for and impact of advanced tobacco control policies in reducing population smoking prevalence. My research will assess the effects of tobacco taxation, further tobacco marketing restrictions and mass communication strategies on smoking attitudes and behaviours. I will also extend the methods and measures I have developed in tobacco control to improve health communication in obesity prevention and alcohol harm prevention.
Evaluating Population-wide Efforts To Reduce Tobacco Use: Continuation Of The ITC-Four Country Cohort In Australia
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,368,936.00
Summary
This study is part of a large international collaboration to study whether policies directed at whole communities work as planned. We survey around 2000 smokers from each of 4 countries every year. We compare reactions of smokers in a country with a policy to those in a country without such a policy or with a different policy. We do this by following through the likely chain of effects to smoking cessation. In this way we can provide advice to governments not only on whether their policies work ....This study is part of a large international collaboration to study whether policies directed at whole communities work as planned. We survey around 2000 smokers from each of 4 countries every year. We compare reactions of smokers in a country with a policy to those in a country without such a policy or with a different policy. We do this by following through the likely chain of effects to smoking cessation. In this way we can provide advice to governments not only on whether their policies work as intended, but how to improve them.Read moreRead less
The Use Of Web 2.0 Internet Sites To Undermine Tobacco Advertising Bans And To Mobilise Tobacco Control Advocates
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$365,531.00
Summary
With advertising bans eroding direct tobacco advertising opportunities, tobacco companies are embracing covert means of keeping their products and policies in current and potential consumers' minds. While the Internet is being used extensively to sell cigarettes, its largely unregulated status holds much potential as a vehicle for promoting smoking and tobacco products, as well as anti-smoking dialogue. This project assesses the potential of globally popular websites to promote and discourage sm ....With advertising bans eroding direct tobacco advertising opportunities, tobacco companies are embracing covert means of keeping their products and policies in current and potential consumers' minds. While the Internet is being used extensively to sell cigarettes, its largely unregulated status holds much potential as a vehicle for promoting smoking and tobacco products, as well as anti-smoking dialogue. This project assesses the potential of globally popular websites to promote and discourage smoking.Read moreRead less
ISNAP (interactive Smoking, Nutrition, Alcohol And Physical Activity) Program For Youth
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$318,768.00
Summary
Tobacco addiction usually begins during adolescence and is often accompanied by broader lifestyle issues being alcohol use, poor nutrition and poor physical activity. Young people today are highly engaged with technology, especially social media. Therefore, innovative technology (eg websites, smartphone apps, holographs and augmented reality) have big potential to lower the appeal and occurrence of risk behaviours. This study aims to design and evaluate an e-health lifestyle program for youth.
Mass Media And Tobacco Policies To Reduce Smoking Prevalence
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$727,685.00
Summary
Professor Wakefield's research program will investigate the impact of mass media campaigns and tobacco control policies on reducing population smoking prevalence. Her research will assess the effects of mass media campaigns, especially in low socioeconomic groups, and in low to middle income countries; the effects of plain cigarette packaging on the sensory experience of smoking; and the impact of advanced policies on tobacco marketing and cigarette pack labelling on smoking attitudes and behavi ....Professor Wakefield's research program will investigate the impact of mass media campaigns and tobacco control policies on reducing population smoking prevalence. Her research will assess the effects of mass media campaigns, especially in low socioeconomic groups, and in low to middle income countries; the effects of plain cigarette packaging on the sensory experience of smoking; and the impact of advanced policies on tobacco marketing and cigarette pack labelling on smoking attitudes and behaviour.Read moreRead less
New Consumer Warnings To Counter Reassurance Based Tobacco Marketing
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$974,713.00
Summary
This research will use consumer feedback to develop warnings about tobacco product attributes (e.g. cigarette filters, ‘smooth’ taste) that mislead smokers about the harms of smoking. We will assess smokers’ responses to these warnings, compared to current warnings on tobacco. The study will use a survey, group discussions, rating scales and an experiment with a follow-up to determine warnings with the greatest potential to correct persistent faulty beliefs about the harms of smoking.
Smoking Cessation For Youth Project Booster And Cohort Tracking Study
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$135,550.00
Summary
Adolescence is a critical period for the establishment of adult drug use behaviours. If smoking does not commence in teenage years it is unlikely to occur. This innovative project not only continues to address tobacco control with this important age group but also builds on evidence from a randomised intervention trial involving over 4,000 Year 9 students tracked over two years. This project was called the Smoking Cessation for Youth Project (SCYP). Preliminary longitudinal analyses of the SCYP ....Adolescence is a critical period for the establishment of adult drug use behaviours. If smoking does not commence in teenage years it is unlikely to occur. This innovative project not only continues to address tobacco control with this important age group but also builds on evidence from a randomised intervention trial involving over 4,000 Year 9 students tracked over two years. This project was called the Smoking Cessation for Youth Project (SCYP). Preliminary longitudinal analyses of the SCYP data indicate that the intervention students were significantly less likely to smoke heavily (smoking five or more days per week) than the control group and that intervention students were also significantly less likely to have tried smoking than the control group. These results represent a world first in evidence that population-based smoking cessation interventions among teenagers can be successful. The proposed project will determine the extent to which these positive intervention effects are sustainable, two years post intervention, as our cohort moves into Year 12. In addition to tracking the possible decay of SCYP intervention effects, the proposed project will also measure the effects of a booster intervention delivered students when they are in Year 12 (2002). The Year 12 intervention will comprise an innovative self-help 'magazine style' booster and a supportive environmental intervention involving school nurses and local GPs. This proposal represents a cost-effective opportunity to measure the effectiveness of a Year 12 tobacco cessation booster intervention. Further data on tobacco smoking behaviour in 2002 will also enable us to determine how long the SCYP intervention appears to affect behaviour and whether 'boosters' are needed in later secondary school years to maintain the benefits.Read moreRead less
Public Health Policies And Interventions To Reduce Tobacco-related Harms Among Socially Disadvantaged Populations And ‘low Probability Quitters’
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$421,747.00
Summary
Tobacco continues to be a leading cause of preventable death and disease in Australia. Those who are socially disadvantaged are at higher risk of smoking, which contributes to the health gap between the rich and poor. This research will provide evidence for policy makers on interventions which could reduce smoking among the most disadvantaged in society. It will also examine whether less harmful nicotine products could a reduce health risks in smokers who find quitting difficult.
Mass Disseminable Approaches To Smoking Cessation In General Practice
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$412,100.00
Summary
Tobacco smoking is the most significant preventable cause of mortality in Australia. At any one time, many smokers want to quit. There are several interventions that are known to work in research settings, such as advice from care providers, self-help materials, drug therapies and telephone counselling. This study wants to find out if these strategies work in ordinary general practice. Over 50% of Australian have access to the Internet and research suggests that seeking health information is one ....Tobacco smoking is the most significant preventable cause of mortality in Australia. At any one time, many smokers want to quit. There are several interventions that are known to work in research settings, such as advice from care providers, self-help materials, drug therapies and telephone counselling. This study wants to find out if these strategies work in ordinary general practice. Over 50% of Australian have access to the Internet and research suggests that seeking health information is one of the most common uses of this technology. The rapid growth of Internet use potentially provides access to a number of cessation aids for tobacco smokers, including online support through 'chat rooms'. It is also possible to tailor interventions to individuals according to their stated interests and readiness to quit. General practitioners, in addition to providing support and care to smokers attemtping to quit, can direct them to community services such as Quit Victoria, which now offers smoking cessation programs tailored to individuals' needs delivered either through telephone counselling or by the Internet. We want to know whether more smokers quit successfully if their GP refers them to Quit services in addition to their usual care. As well as assessing the effectiveness of broadly distributable interventions in smoking cessation, this project will also collect data about the use of the Internet for health research. Little is known about how to perform research on the Web. This project will allow automatic monitoring of how people respond to research endeavours in this environment.Read moreRead less