ITC Project :: A study to improve tobacco control (resourced by the Health Research Council and the Ministry of Health)

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The ITC Project - New Zealand Arm

The International Tobacco Control (ITC) Policy Evaluation Survey is a multi-country study that includes a New Zealand arm. The New Zealand arm arose from an initiative of the National Heart Foundation to bring Professor Mike Cummings (Roswell Park Cancer Institute, USA) to New Zealand and meet with health workers here.

Research Team

Dr Nick Wilson (Principal Investigator),
Dr Richard Edwards (Deputy PI),
Dr Chris Bullen, Co-investigator, Auckland University
Dr George Thomson, (Co-investigator, University of Otago),
Professor Tony Blakely, (Co-investigator, University of Otago),
Professor Ron Borland, Co-investigator Cancer Council Victoria, Australia
Judy Li (PhD student),
Dr Heather Gifford,  (Maori tobacco control expert),
Jo Peace (Research Manager),
Dr Deepa Weerasekera, (Biostatistician)

Ministry of Health Collaborators (Health & Disability Intelligence) : Miranda Devlin

Our International Collaborators: There are over 14 other countries participating in this survey. Please see the ITC Project website.

Article describing the Project

A brief article about the project, taken from the University of Otago publication He Kitenga 2006 (PDF)

Media coverage of research outputs

 

Research outputs to date from the NZ arm of the ITC Project

Research in Journals

  • Wilson N, Weerasekera D, Edwards R, Thomson G, Devlin M, Gifford H. Characteristics of smoker support for increasing a dedicated tobacco tax: National survey data from New Zealand. Nicotine Tob Res 2009;(e-publication, doi: 10.1093/ntr/ntp178). Abstract:
    http://ntr.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/ntp178?ijkey=Eomj1XzueyD4s5e&keytype=ref

  • Edwards R, Wilson N, Thomson G, Weerasekera D, Blakely T. Majority support by Māori and non-Māori smokers for many aspects of increased tobacco control regulation: national survey data. N Z Med J 2009;122(1307):115-118.

  • Wilson N, Thomson G, Weerasekera D, Blakely T, Edwards R, Peace J, Young D, Gifford H. Smoker misperceptions around tobacco: national survey data of particular relevance to protecting Maori health. N Z Med J 2009;122(1306):123-127.
  • Wilson N, Weerasekera D, Edwards R, Blakely T. Smoker support for increased (if dedicated) tobacco tax by individual deprivation level: national survey data. Tob Control 2009;18:512.
  • Wilson N, Young D, Weerasekera D, Edwards R, Thomson G, Glover M. The importance of tobacco prices to roll-your-own (RYO) smokers (national survey data): higher tax needed on RYO. N Z Med J 2009;122(1305):92-96.
  • Wilson N, Weerasekera D, Peace J, Edwards R, Thomson G, Devlin M. Misperceptions of "light" cigarettes abound: National survey data. BMC Public Health 2009, 9:126. http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2458/9/126

  • Wilson N, Thomson G, Edwards R. What’s new in tobacco tax research for New Zealand and is it time for a tax hike now? N Z Med J 2009;122(1293):89-92. http://www.nzma.org.nz/journal/122-1293/3574/content.pdf

  • Wilson N, Edwards R, Weerasekera D. High levels of smoker regret by ethnicity and socioeconomic status: national survey data. N Z Med J 2009;122(1292):99-100.

  • Thomson G, Wilson N, Weerasekera D, Edwards R. Most smokers support smokefree council-owned playgrounds: national survey data. N Z Med J 2009;122(1291):12-3.
  • Thomson G, Wilson N, Edwards R. At the frontier of tobacco control: A brief review of public attitudes to smokefree outdoor places. Nicotine Tob Res 2009 [e-publication 9 April]. doi:10.1093/ntr/ntp046. [Abstract].
  • Thomson G, Wilson N. Public attitudes to laws for smokefree private vehicles: A brief review. Tob Control Published “Online First”: 3 December 2008. doi:10.1136/tc.2008.027672 [Abstract]
  • Peace J, Wilson N, Thomson G, Edwards R. Recent changes in cigarette packaging in New Zealand may continue to mislead smokers. N Z Med J 2008;121:U2908. http://www.nzma.org.nz/journal/1268-121/2908/content.pdf

  • Wilson N, Edwards R, Maher A, Näthe J, Jalali R. National smokefree law in New Zealand improves air quality inside bars, pubs and restaurants". BMC Public Health 2007;7:85. http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2458/7/85/abstract  

  • Thomson G, Wilson N, Bushell L, Al Matar W, Ball B, Chiu J, Culliford N, Callum G, et al. Butt lengths differ by area deprivation level: A field study to explore intensive smoking. Nicotine Tob Res 2008;10:927-931
  • Wilson N, Thomson G, Edwards R. Use of Four Major Tobacco Control Interventions in New Zealand: A Review. N Z Med J 2008;121:71-86 (Reprinted in NZMJ Digest 2008;9:35-39).

  • Norton KJ, Wilkins K, O’Connor R, Wilson N, Edwards R, Peace J. Properties of “light” cigarettes sold in New Zealand. N Z Med J 2008;121:107-110.

  • Contributed data to: Hyland A, Travers MJ, Dresler C, et al. A 32-country comparison of tobacco moke derived particle levels in indoor public places. Tob Control 2008;17(3):159-65.

Research presented at conferences

  • SRNT Baltimore Conference in February 2010: 10 abstracts for posters and oral presentations accepted. These cover: graphic health warnings (3); Maori views on tobacco control; Quitline number; alcohol and smoking; mental health and smoking; nicotine and cancer; Pacific views on tobacco control; and support for point-of-sale display bans.

  • Contributed data to: Borland R. Patterns of smoking cessation and use of aids across ITC family countries. Presentation at: The SRNT-Sponsored Global Network & Policy Committees: Global Treatment Issues (Pre-Conference Workshop). Joint Conference of SRNT and SRNT-Europe, Dublin, Ireland; 27-30 April, 2009.
  • Thomson G, Wilson N, Bullen C. Butt lengths differ by area deprivation level: a field study to explore intensive smoking [Poster presentation]. Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco, 13th Annual Meeting 27 February – 1 March 2008, Portland Oregon. POS4-74.

  • Peace J, Wilson N, Thomson G, Edwards R, Bullen C. Coloring on cigarette packs: is it part of deceptive tobacco marketing? [Poster presentation]. Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco, 13th Annual Meeting 27 February – 1 March 2008, Portland Oregon. POS1-80.

  • Edwards R, Wilson N, Bullen C. Drift of second-hand smoke from outdoor smoking areas to the inside of pubs/bars [Poster presentation]. Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco, 13th Annual Meeting 27 February – 1 March 2008, Portland Oregon. POS4-70.
  • Wilson N, Blakely T, Borland R, Bullen C, Edwards R, Gerritsen S, Gifford H, McRobbie H, Ponniah S, Thomson G. Novel Methodological Features of the New Zealand Arm of the ITC Project [Conference Poster]. Madison, WI: Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco, Proceedings of 13th Annual Meeting 21-24 February 2007, Austin TX. POS1-153.

  • Edwards R, Wilson N, Blakely T, Borland R, Bullen C, Ponniah S, Gerritsen S, McRobbie H. Novel methodological features of the New Zealand arm of the ITC Project. Presentation at the Smokefree Oceania Tobacco Control Conference" From Vision to Reality" 5 September 2007, Auckland (Abstract 167).

Other Journal articles in collaboration with other ITC Project colleagues


Reports

 


 

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