scholarly journals Anticipated responses to a hypothetical minimum price for cigarettes and roll-your-own tobacco: an online cross-sectional survey with cigarette smokers and ex-smokers in the UK

BMJ Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. e042724
Author(s):  
Nathan Critchlow ◽  
Crawford Moodie ◽  
Catherine Best ◽  
Martine Stead

ObjectivesAs tobacco companies can circumvent tax increases, a minimum retail price per-cigarette/per-gram of roll-your-own tobacco presents an additional mechanism for governments to reduce smoking. We examined (1) anticipated responses to a hypothetical minimum price-per-cigarette/per-gram among smokers in the UK; (2) what demographic and smoker characteristics are associated with anticipated responses; and (3) whether minimum pricing may help ex-smokers stay quit.DesignCross-sectional survey (May–July 2019).SettingUK.ParticipantsAdult cigarette smokers (n=2412) and ex-smokers (n=700).Main outcome measurementsAnticipated responses to a hypothetical minimum price of £10.00 for 20 cigarettes (£0.50 per-cigarette) and £13.50 for 30 grams of roll-your-own tobacco (£0.45 per-gram); approximately £0.10 per-cigarette/per-gram increases on the cheapest prices in leading UK supermarkets (January 2019). Smokers were presented with ten options (eg, ‘Try to quit’) and asked which they would do (Yes/No) and then which they would most likely do. Ex-smokers were asked to what extent the minimum prices would help them stay quit (A lot vs Lesser agreement).ResultsAmong smokers, 55.6% said they would most likely smoke the same amount, 10.7% they would smoke less, 9.5% they would try to quit and 5.8% they would use e-cigarettes more often. Anticipated reactions were associated with demography and smoker characteristics, for example, C2DE (lower social grade) smokers were less likely than ABC1 (higher social grade) smokers to say they would smoke the same as they do now (ORAdj=0.74, 95% CI 0.62 to 0.88). Among ex-smokers, 38.5% said the minimum prices would help them stay quit ‘A lot’, more so among C2DE than ABC1 participants (ORAdj=1.80, 95% CI 1.30 to 2.49).ConclusionsIn response to a hypothetical minimum price for cigarettes and roll-your-own tobacco, approximately a fifth of smokers in the UK indicated they would smoke less or quit and almost two-fifths of ex-smokers indicated the prices would help them stay quit.

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. e000942
Author(s):  
Oliver G P Lawton ◽  
Sarah A Lawton ◽  
Lisa Dikomitis ◽  
Joanne Protheroe ◽  
Joanne Smith ◽  
...  

COVID-19 has significantly impacted young people’s lives yet little is known about the COVID-19 related sources of information they access. We performed a cross-sectional survey of pupils (11–16 years) in North Staffordshire, UK. 408 (23%) pupils responded to an online survey emailed to them by their school. Descriptive statistics were used to summarise the data. Social media, accessed by 68%, played a significant role in the provision of information, despite it not being considered trustworthy. 89% felt that COVID-19 had negatively affected their education. Gaps in the provision of information on COVID-19 have been identified.


Author(s):  
Paulina Majek ◽  
Mateusz Jankowski ◽  
Bartłomiej Nowak ◽  
Maksymilian Macherski ◽  
Maciej Nowak ◽  
...  

Heated tobacco products (HTPs) are devices for generating a nicotine aerosol by heating the tobacco sticks. This study aimed to assess (1) the prevalence of HTP and tobacco cigarette usage among medical students, (2) to characterize smoking habits and (3) to assess students’ awareness and opinions about HTPs. A cross-sectional survey on the frequency and attitudes toward cigarettes, e-cigarettes and HTP use was performed between 2019–2020 at the Medical University of Silesia in Katowice (Poland). The data were obtained from 1344 students aged 21.8 ± 1.9 years (response rate: 66.9%). Current traditional tobacco use was 13.2%, e-cigarettes use 3.5%, and HTP use 2.8% of students. Duration of use was shorter among HTPs users comparing to cigarette smokers (p < 0.001) although the number of tobacco sticks used daily was similar (p = 0.1). Almost 30% of respondents have ever tried HTPs. HTPs were considered safe by 5.3% of respondents (43.2% of HTP users vs. 3.9% of non-HTP users, p < 0.001). HTP users were more likely to report that heating tobacco is not addictive (odds ratio (OR) = 8.9, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.8–45.8) and disagreed with a public ban on HTP use (OR = 4.9, 95%CI: 2.5–9.8). Among students, HTP use was less popular than cigarette smoking, but awareness of their presence is widespread.


2021 ◽  
Vol 108 (Supplement_2) ◽  
Author(s):  
M Durand-Hill ◽  
D I Ike ◽  
A N Nijhawan ◽  
A B Shah ◽  
A Dawson ◽  
...  

Abstract Introduction During the COVID pandemic, the 2019-2020 cohort of final year students were invited to participate in Foundation interim Year 1 placements (FiY1). FiY1 aimed to ease transition to Foundation Year 1 doctor (FY1). We assessed the psychological impact of FiY1 on final year medical students. Method A cross-sectional survey was distributed to final year medical students in the UK between June 4th and July 4th, 2020. The survey contained the following domains: participant demographics, rationale for FiY1 participation, a checklist of the key safety principles for FiY1s, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and the Perceived Stress scale-4. Results 107 final years responded to the survey. 72.0% (n = 77) of final year students surveyed were working as FiY1s. Final year students participating in FiY1 postings had reduced rates of anxiety (29.9% vs 43.4%, P = 0.186), depression (5.2% vs 20.0%, P = 0.018) and lower perceived stress levels (5.0 vs 7.2, P &lt; 0.001). 19.5% (15/77) FiY1s reported working beyond their competency, 27.3% (22/77) felt unsupervised, but 94.8% (73/77) of FiY1s felt the post prepared them for FY1. Conclusions Students participating in FiY1 postings felt less stressed and depressed than those not participating in the scheme and the majority felt it was preparing them for FY1.


2021 ◽  
Vol 32 ◽  
pp. S1236
Author(s):  
A. Chidharla ◽  
R. Rabbani ◽  
K. Agarwal ◽  
S. Abdelwahed ◽  
R. Bhandari ◽  
...  

BMJ Open ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (11) ◽  
pp. e017856 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tom Bourne ◽  
Bavo De Cock ◽  
Laure Wynants ◽  
Mike Peters ◽  
Chantal Van Audenhove ◽  
...  

ObjectiveHow adverse outcomes and complaints are managed may significantly impact on physician well-being and practice. We aimed to investigate how depression, anxiety and defensive medical practice are associated with doctors actual and perceived support, behaviour of colleagues and process issues regarding how complaints investigations are carried out.DesignA survey study. Respondents were classified into three groups: no complaint, recent/current complaint (within 6 months) or past complaint. Each group completed specific surveys.SettingBritish Medical Association (BMA) members were invited to complete an online survey.Participants95 636 members of the BMA were asked to participate. 7926 (8.3%) completed the survey, of whom 1780 (22.5%) had no complaint, 3889 (49.1%) had a past complaint and 2257 (28.5%) had a recent/current complaint. We excluded those with no complaints leaving 6144 in the final sample.Primary outcomes measuresWe measured anxiety and depression using the Generalised Anxiety Disorder Scale 7 and Physical Health Questionnaire 9. Defensive practice was assessed using a new measure for avoidance and hedging.ResultsMost felt supported by colleagues (61%), only 31% felt supported by management. Not following process (56%), protracted timescales (78%), vexatious complaints (49%), feeling bullied (39%) or victimised for whistleblowing (20%), and using complaints to undermine (31%) were reported. Perceived support by management (relative risk (RR) depression: 0.77, 95% CI 0.71 to 0.83; RR anxiety: 0.80, 95% CI 0.74 to 0.87), speaking to colleagues (RR depression: 0.64, 95% CI 0.48 to 0.84 and RR anxiety: 0.69, 95% CI 0.51 to 0.94, respectively), fair/accurate documentation (RR depression: 0.80, 95% CI 0.75 to 0.86; RR anxiety: 0.81, 95% CI 0.75 to 0.87), and being informed about rights (RR depression 0.96 (0.89 to 1.03) and anxiety 0.94 (0.87 to 1.02), correlated positively with well-being and reduced defensive practice. Doctors worried most about professional humiliation following a complaint investigation (80%).ConclusionPoor process, prolonged timescales and vexatious use of complaints systems are associated with decreased psychological welfare and increased defensive practice. In contrast, perceived support from colleagues and management is associated with a reduction in these effects.


BMJ Open ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. e018729 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francesca Solmi ◽  
Mariya Melnychuk ◽  
Stephen Morris

ObjectiveIn the UK, families of disabled children are entitled to receive disability benefits to help meet costs associated with caring for their child. Evidence of actual costs incurred is scant, especially for mental health disability. In this study, we aimed to quantify the cost of mental and physical health disability in childhood and adolescence to families in the UK using the concept of compensating variation (CV).DesignRepeated cross-sectional survey.SettingThe UK general populationParticipants85 212 children drawn from 8 waves of the Family Resources Survey.OutcomesUsing propensity score matching we matched families with a disabled child to similar families without a disabled child and calculated the extra income the former require to achieve the same living standards as the latter, that is, their CV. We calculated the additional costs specifically associated with several definitions of mental health and physical health disability.ResultsFamilies of a child with any mental health disability, regardless of the presence of physical health comorbidity, needed an additional £49.31 (95% CI: 21.95 to 76.67) and, for more severe disabilities, an additional £57.56 (95% CI: 17.69 to 97.44) per week to achieve the same living standards of families without a disabled child. This difference was greater for more deprived families, who needed between £59.28 (95% CI: 41.38 to 77.18) and £81.26 (95% CI: 53.35 to 109.38) more per week depending on the extent of mental health disability. Families of children with physical health disabilities, with or without mental health disabilities, required an additional £35.86 (95% CI: 13.77 to 57.96) per week, with economically deprived families requiring an extra £42.18 (95% CI: 26.38 to 57.97) per week.ConclusionsMental and physical health disabilities among children and adolescents were associated with high additional costs for the family, especially for those from deprived economic backgrounds. Means testing could help achieve a more equitable redistribution of disability benefit.


2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. e001318
Author(s):  
Gemma Johns ◽  
Sara Khalil ◽  
Mike Ogonovsky ◽  
Markus Hesseling ◽  
Allan Wardhaugh ◽  
...  

The use of video consulting (VC) in the UK has expanded rapidly during the COVID-19 pandemic. Technology Enabled Care (TEC) Cymru, the Welsh Government and Local Health boards began implementing the National Health Service (NHS) Wales VC Service in March 2020. This has been robustly evaluated on a large-scale All-Wales basis, across a wide range of NHS Wales specialities.AimsTo understand the early use of VC in Wales from the perspective of NHS professionals using it. NHS professionals were approached by TEC Cymru to provide early data.MethodsUsing an observational study design with descriptive methods including a cross-sectional survey, TEC Cymru captured data on the use, benefits and challenges of VC from NHS professionals in Wales during August and September 2020. This evidence is based on the rapid adoption of VC in Wales, which mirrors that of other nations.ResultsA total of 1256 NHS professionals shared their VC experience. Overall, responses were positive, and professionals expressed optimistic views regarding the use and benefit of VC, even when faced with challenges on occasions.ConclusionsThis study provides evidence of general positivity, acceptance and the success of the VC service in Wales. Future research studies will now be able to explore and evaluate the implementation methods used within this study, and investigate their effectiveness in being able to achieve better outcomes through VC.


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