Evaluating the effectiveness of a 'Tobacco Monitor' App in reporting violations of tobacco policy in the community.

Mehta Vini

doi:10.6026/97320630017306

Abstract

It is of interest to evaluate the effectiveness of the "Tobacco Monitor" app in reporting violations of tobacco policy in the community. Hence, a study was conducted amongst the first and second-year undergraduate students of health science colleges of a University. Students were asked to register complaints related to tobacco violations on the tobacco monitor app. Registered complaints were verified by the National Forum for Tobacco Eradication (NFTE) and descriptive statistics were used in reporting the results. A total of 208 complaints on tobacco violation were registered through the Tobacco Monitor app, 163 valid complaints were identified and 45 reports were found invalid. 163 verified valid complaints by NFTE were transferred to the Non-Communicable Diseases (NCD) Cell, Maharashtra, India. It should be noted that anti-tobacco laws and national policies help to curb the menace of the tobacco epidemic to an extent. However, robust reporting and sustainable enforcement measures are required in implementing tobacco legislation effectively. We also report that youth are comfortable in using the Tobacco Monitor app for reporting violations on tobacco.

Highlights

With the increasing growth of new technology, smart phones have always been helpful in health promotion and health behaviour
As a prelude to the World No Tobacco Day (WNTD) 2015, India’s first-ever android app to report complaints on tobacco policy violations by users and tobacco industries was launched with the name "Tobacco Monitor" by the National Forum for Tobacco Eradication. (NFTE) The National Forum for Tobacco Eradication is a network comprising of individuals, professional associations, like-minded organizations, and institutions that are actively working towards tobacco eradication
208 complaints on tobacco violation were registered through the Tobacco Monitor app, 163 valid complaints were identified, and 45 were invalid. 163 verified valid complaints by NFTE were transferred to the Non-Communicable Diseases (NCD) Cell, Maharashtra, India

Summary

Introduction

With the increasing growth of new technology, smart phones have always been helpful in health promotion and health behaviour. The new technology and a targeted app primarily bestowed three benefits that can be useful: Firstly, people can utilize this app effectively to create a tobacco-free environment. It provides information and support for tobacco eradication. India played an active role on the tobacco control front by enacting the Cigarettes and other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Production, Supply, and Distribution) Act, 2003 (COTPA), which covered all tobacco products [6] This law was intended to safeguard and protect public health, by making provisions of evidence-based strategies to reduce tobacco consumption [7]. It is of interest to evaluate the effectiveness of the “Tobacco Monitor” app in reporting violations of tobacco policy in the community

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Results

Conclusion