scholarly journals Tobacco Industry Promotions and Pricing After Tax Increases: An Analysis of Internal Industry Documents

2019 ◽  
Vol 22 (6) ◽  
pp. 967-974 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dorie E Apollonio ◽  
Stanton A Glantz
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Tobacco Use ◽  
Tobacco Industry ◽  
Public Health Intervention ◽  
State Level ◽  
Research Literature ◽  
Price Changes ◽  
Price Increases ◽  
Tobacco Tax ◽  
Effective Public Health

Abstract Background Increasing tobacco taxes, and through them, prices, is an effective public health strategy to decrease tobacco use. The tobacco industry has developed multiple promotional strategies to undercut these effects; this study assessed promotions directed to wholesalers and retailers and manufacturer price changes that blunt the effects of tax and price increases. Methods We reviewed tobacco industry documents and contemporaneous research literature dated 1987 to 2016 to identify the nature, extent, and effectiveness of tobacco industry promotions and price changes used after state-level tobacco tax increases. Results Tobacco companies have created promotions to reduce the effectiveness of tobacco tax increases by encouraging established users to purchase tobacco in lower-tax jurisdictions and sometimes lowering manufacturer pricing to “undershift” smaller tax increases, so that tobacco prices increased by less than the amount of the tax. Conclusions Policymakers should address industry efforts to undercut an effective public health intervention through regulating minimum prices, limiting tobacco industry promotions, and by enacting tax increases that are large, immediate, and result in price increases. Implications Tobacco companies view excise tax increases on tobacco products as a critical business threat. To keep users from quitting or reducing tobacco use in response to tax increases, they have shifted manufacturer pricing and developed specific promotions that encourage customers to shop for lower-taxed products. Health authorities should address tobacco industry efforts to undercut the effects of taxes by regulating prices and promotions and passing large and immediate tax increases.

Physical activity during pregnancy in Italy: prevalence, intensity and associated factors

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽  
Author(s):  
E Fioretti ◽  
L Palandri ◽  
G Fantuzzi ◽  
F Facchinetti ◽  
E Righi
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Physical Activity ◽  
Healthy Lifestyle ◽  
Public Health Intervention ◽  
Moderate Intensity ◽  
Target Groups ◽  
Specific Target ◽  
Sports And Exercise ◽  
Effective Public Health ◽  
In Pregnancy

Abstract Background Recently the Italian Ministry of Health, following WHO and ACOG example, recommend that healthy pregnant women practice at least 150 minutes per week of moderate intensity activity (3-6 METs). The study aimed to evaluate if women meet guidelines and to identify potential target groups for public health intervention. Methods From November 2015 to November 2017, 390 women completed, just after delivery at an Italian hospital, a questionnaire about sports and exercise before and during pregnancy. Physical activity (PA) was classified according to intensity in Metabolic Equivalent Task (MET). Women were considered sufficiently active when reaching the recommended PA levels. Results 52% of women practiced any sport at anytime during pregnancy, with a higher prevalence in the II trimester (45%), while only 30% of women kept exercising throughout all trimesters. When including time and sport intensity, only 4,6%, 6,4% and 4,6% of women reached the recommended PA levels in the I, II and III trimester. Sufficiently active women practiced mainly swimming and walking, two highly recommend sports in pregnancy. Factors favour PA practice were Italian nationality, higher educational level, work, BMI, attending birthing classes and being active before pregnancy. However, even without contraindications, 26% of women active before pregnancy stopped exercising in pregnancy and only 15% achieved recommended PA levels. 58% of sedentary women before pregnancy, kept being sedentary in pregnancy. Conclusions Although half of women practiced sport during pregnancy, only a few were sufficiently regular and active. As pregnancy is an ideal time to adopt or to reinforce a healthy lifestyle, public health interventions should be strengthen considering also specific target groups. Key messages Effective public health policies should be identified and implemented to favour an active lifestyle during pregnancy. Specific target groups less prone to meet PA guidelines should also be addressed.

Exhibitions as Public Health Interventions: The University of Alabama Center for the Study of Tobacco and Society

2021 ◽  
pp. 000276422110108
Author(s):  
Robert B. Riter ◽  
Kevin Bailey ◽  
Jeff Hirschy
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Tobacco Industry ◽  
Historical Context ◽  
Public Health Intervention ◽  
Public Understanding ◽  
Cultural Institutions ◽  
University Of Alabama ◽  
Control And Prevention ◽  
Promotional Efforts ◽  
The University

Can exhibitions of artifacts from the tobacco industry, its allies and critics, act as a public health intervention? The University of Alabama Center for the Study of Tobacco and Society is a curatorial and research center dedicated to the creation of exhibitions on the tobacco industry and its allies, the marketing of cigarettes and other tobacco products, and the efforts to counteract the use and promotion of cigarettes throughout the 20th century to the present day (Blum, 1994, p. 8). Physical and digital exhibitions provide social and historical context to increase public understanding of a deadly product which, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, kills 1,300 Americans a day. University of Alabama Center for the Study of Tobacco and Society collects “communication artifacts” of the tobacco industry, from ubiquitous advertisements to subtler promotional efforts such as financial support for museums and other cultural institutions. This summary of the center’s work spotlights archives, curated and made public through exhibitions.

scholarly journals A cost-effectiveness analysis of community water fluoridation for schoolchildren

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jodi Cronin ◽  
Stephen Moore ◽  
Máiréad Harding ◽  
Helen Whelton ◽  
Noel Woods
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Cost Effectiveness ◽  
Water Supply ◽  
Public Health Intervention ◽  
Water Fluoridation ◽  
Community Water ◽  
Effectiveness Analysis ◽  
Community Water Fluoridation ◽  
Effective Public Health ◽  
Lifetime Treatment

Abstract Background Community water fluoridation (CWF), the controlled addition of fluoride to the water supply for the prevention of dental caries (tooth decay), is considered a safe and effective public health intervention. The Republic of Ireland (Ireland) is the only country in Europe with a legislative mandate for the fluoridation of the public water supply, a key component of its oral health policy. However, more recently, there has been an increase in public concern around the relevance of the intervention given the current environment of multiple fluoride sources and a reported increase in the prevalence of enamel fluorosis. The aim of this economic analysis is to provide evidence to inform policy decisions on whether the continued public investment in community water fluoridation remains justified under these altered circumstances. Methods Following traditional methods of economic evaluation and using epidemiological data from a representative sample of 5-, 8-, and 12-year-old schoolchildren, this cost-effectiveness analysis, conducted from the health-payer perspective, compared the incremental costs and consequences associated with the CWF intervention to no intervention for schoolchildren living in Ireland in 2017. A probabilistic model was developed to simulate the potential lifetime treatment savings associated with the schoolchildren’s exposure to the intervention for one year. Results In 2017, approximately 71% of people living in Ireland had access to a publicly provided fluoridated water supply at an average per capita cost to the state of €2.15. The total cost of CWF provision to 5-, 8-, and 12-year-old schoolchildren (n = 148,910) was estimated at €320,664, and the incremental cost per decayed, missing, or filled tooth (d3vcmft/D3vcMFT) prevented was calculated at €14.09. The potential annual lifetime treatment savings associated with caries prevented for this cohort was estimated at €2.95 million. When the potential treatment savings were included in the analysis, the incremental cost per d3vcmft/D3vcMFT prevented was -€115.67, representing a cost-saving to the health-payer and a positive return on investment. The results of the analysis were robust to both deterministic and probability sensitivity analyses. Conclusion Despite current access to numerous fluoride sources and a reported increase in the prevalence of enamel fluorosis, CWF remains a cost-effective public health intervention for Irish schoolchildren.

scholarly journals Tobacco industry strategies undermine government tax policy: evidence from commercial data

2017 ◽  
Vol 27 (5) ◽  
pp. 488-497 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rosemary Hiscock ◽  
J Robert Branston ◽  
Ann McNeill ◽  
Sara C Hitchman ◽  
Timea R Partos ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Tax Policy ◽  
Tobacco Industry ◽  
Pricing Strategies ◽  
Point Of Sale ◽  
Price Increases ◽  
Tobacco Control Policies ◽  
Health Gains ◽  
Tobacco Tax ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Tobacco Taxation

ObjectiveTaxation equitably reduces smoking, the leading cause of health inequalities. The tobacco industry (TI) can, however, undermine the public health gains realised from tobacco taxation through its pricing strategies. This study aims to examine contemporary TI pricing strategies in the UK and implications for tobacco tax policy.DesignReview of commercial literature and longitudinal analysis of tobacco sales and price data.SettingA high-income country with comprehensive tobacco control policies and high tobacco taxes (UK).Participants2009 to 2015 Nielsen Scantrak electronic point of sale systems data.Main outcome measuresTobacco segmentation; monthly prices, sales volumes of and net revenue from roll-your-own (RYO) and factory-made (FM) cigarettes by segment; use of price-marking and pack sizes.ResultsThe literature review and sales data concurred that both RYO and FM cigarettes were segmented by price. Despite regular tax increases, average real prices for the cheapest FM and RYO segments remained steady from 2013 while volumes grew. Low prices were maintained through reductions in the size of packs and price-marking. Each year, at the point the budget is implemented, the TI drops its revenue by up to 18 pence per pack, absorbing the tax increases (undershifting). Undershifting is most marked for the cheapest segments.ConclusionsThe TI currently uses a variety of strategies to keep tobacco cheap. The implementation of standardised packaging will prevent small pack sizes and price-marking but further changes in tax policy are needed to minimise the TI’s attempts to prevent sudden price increases.

scholarly journals One Health approach for elimination of human anthrax in a tribal district of Odisha: Study protocol

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (5) ◽  
pp. e0251041
Author(s):  
Debdutta Bhattacharya ◽  
Jaya Singh Kshatri ◽  
Hari Ram Choudhary ◽  
Debaprasad Parai ◽  
Jyoti Shandilya ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
One Health ◽  
Early Stage ◽  
Public Health Intervention ◽  
State Level ◽  
Health Intervention ◽  
Theory Of Change ◽  
Health Concern ◽  
Intervention Package ◽  
Surveillance Network

Background Anthrax is a major but neglected zoonotic disease of public health concern in India with Odisha contributing a major share to the disease burden. Bacillus anthracis spores can be found naturally in soil and commonly affect both animals and humans around the world. Domestic and wild animals such as cattle, sheep, goats, and deer can become infected when they inhale or ingest spores from contaminated soil, plants, or water. Anthrax can be fatal if patients are not treated promptly with antibiotics. This protocol aims to describe the implementation and evaluation of the ‘One Health’ intervention model based on the principles of Theory of Change (ToC) to eliminate human anthrax from a tribal district in Odisha, India. Methods This study would test the effectiveness of a complex public health intervention package developed using the ToC framework for the elimination of human anthrax in Koraput district by a comparative analysis of baseline and end-line data. We plan to enroll 2640 adults across 14 geographically divided blocks in Koraput district of Odisha for baseline and end-line surveys. After baseline, we would provide capacity building training to stakeholders from the department of health, veterinary, forest, academic and allied health institutions followed by workshops on sensitization and awareness through IEC (Information Education Communication)/BCC (Behavior Change Communication) activities in the community. We would establish a state-level laboratory facility as a robust system for timely diagnosis and management of human anthrax cases. Surveillance network will be strengthened to track the cases in early stage and risk zoning will be done for focused surveillance in endemic areas. Advocacy with district level administration will be done for maximizing the coverage of livestock vaccination in the entire district. Interdepartmental coordination would be established for the effective implementation of the intervention package. Conclusion This would be a first study applying One Health concept for the elimination of human anthrax in India. The findings from this study will offer important insights for policy-making and further replication in other endemic regions of the state and country. Trial registration The authors confirm that all ongoing and related trials for this intervention are prospectively registered with the Clinical Trials Registry of India [CTRI/2020/05/025325] on 22 May 2020.

Exhibitions as Public Health Interventions: The University of Alabama Center for the Study of Tobacco and Society

2021 ◽  
pp. 000276422110031
Author(s):  
Robert B. Riter ◽  
Kevin Bailey ◽  
Jeff Hirschy
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Tobacco Industry ◽  
Historical Context ◽  
Public Health Intervention ◽  
Public Understanding ◽  
Cultural Institutions ◽  
University Of Alabama ◽  
Control And Prevention ◽  
Promotional Efforts ◽  
The University

Can exhibitions of artifacts from the tobacco industry, its allies and critics, act as a public health intervention? The University of Alabama Center for the Study of Tobacco and Society is a curatorial and research center dedicated to the creation of exhibitions on the tobacco industry and its allies, the marketing of cigarettes and other tobacco products, and the efforts to counteract the use and promotion of cigarettes throughout the 20th century to the present day. Physical and digital exhibitions provide social and historical context to increase public understanding of a deadly product which, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, kills 1,300 Americans a day. Center for the Study of Tobacco and Society collects “communication artifacts” of the tobacco industry, from ubiquitous advertisements to subtler promotional efforts such as financial support for museums and other cultural institutions. This summary of the center’s work spotlights archives, curated and made public through exhibitions.

scholarly journals Comprehensive public health evaluation of lockdown as a non-pharmaceutical intervention on COVID-19 spread in India: national trends masking state-level variations

BMJ Open ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (12) ◽  
pp. e041778
Author(s):  
Maxwell Salvatore ◽  
Deepankar Basu ◽  
Debashree Ray ◽  
Mike Kleinsasser ◽  
Soumik Purkayastha ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Case Fatality ◽  
State Level ◽  
Population Based ◽  
Medical Intervention ◽  
Indian States ◽  
Reproduction Numbers ◽  
National Trends ◽  
Effective Public Health ◽  
Interactive Visualisation

ObjectivesTo evaluate the effect of four-phase national lockdown from March 25 to May 31 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic in India and unmask the state-wise variations in terms of multiple public health metrics.DesignCohort study (daily time series of case counts).SettingObservational and population based.ParticipantsConfirmed COVID-19 cases nationally and across 20 states that accounted for >99% of the current cumulative case counts in India until 31 May 2020.ExposureLockdown (non-medical intervention).Main outcomes and measuresWe illustrate the masking of state-level trends and highlight the variations across states by presenting evaluative evidence on some aspects of the COVID-19 outbreak: case fatality rates, doubling times of cases, effective reproduction numbers and the scale of testing.ResultsThe estimated effective reproduction number R for India was 3.36 (95% CI 3.03 to 3.71) on 24 March, whereas the average of estimates from 25 May to 31 May stands at 1.27 (95% CI 1.26 to 1.28). Similarly, the estimated doubling time across India was at 3.56 days on 24 March, and the past 7-day average for the same on 31 May is 14.37 days. The average daily number of tests increased from 1717 (19–25 March) to 113 372 (25–31 May) while the test positivity rate increased from 2.1% to 4.2%, respectively. However, various states exhibit substantial departures from these national patterns.ConclusionsPatterns of change over lockdown periods indicate the lockdown has been partly effective in slowing the spread of the virus nationally. However, there exist large state-level variations and identifying these variations can help in both understanding the dynamics of the pandemic and formulating effective public health interventions. Our framework offers a holistic assessment of the pandemic across Indian states and union territories along with a set of interactive visualisation tools that are daily updated at covind19.org.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document