Baseline and Endline study helped administration to declare 8 districts compliant to various sections of Indian Tobacco Control Act in a scientific manner

• Published in: Tobacco induced diseases 2018-03, Vol.16 (1)
• Main Author: Sinha, Mukesh Kumar
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Compliance; Education; Health care; Health care facilities; Minors; Point of sale; Public transportation; Random sampling; Statistical sampling; Tobacco; WCTOH
• ISSN: 1617-9625; 1617-9625
• DOI: 10.18332/tid/84048

Background: Section 4 of Indian Tobacco Control Act prohibits smoking at public places,section 5 prohibits advertisements of tobacco products,section 6a prohibits sale of tobacco to minors,6b prohibits sale of tobacco within 100 yards of educational institution, section 7 demands mandatory 85 percent pictorial warnings on tobacco products. Madhya Pradesh Voluntary Health Association with support of The Union in collaboration with administration, and health department carried out various activities for implementation of Indian Tobacco control Act in 8 districts of Madhya Pradesh.The process was continued for 18 months and at the end an Endline compliance study was conducted. Methods: Study was conducted in 8 districts, 7 types of public places like accommodation facilities, eateries, offices, educational institutes ,healthcare facilities , commonly visited places and public transport were observed with point of sale. The sample size was obtained by using The Union & CTFK Compliance Assessment Guide and Open Epi software.Districts were divided into clusters and random sampling was done from each cluster. A total of 57 blocks of 8 districts with sample size of 6544 public places and 1143 Point of Sale were covered doing cross sectional study by trained field investigators. Results: 4 districts Betul,Hoshangabad Sagar and Tikamgarh had more than 80 percent compliance of section 4,6a and 7 of Indian Tobacco control Act. 4 districts Harda,Panna,Damoh and Chhatarpur had more than 80 percent compliance on section 4,5,6a and 7 of Indian tobacco control act. Based on the findings of the study 8 District Magistrate declared their respective districts compliant to various sections of Indian Tobacco Control Act. Thereby protecting 15 million population. Conclusions: Compliance survey are useful in understanding the status of implementation of tobacco control act and to make official declaration of the district compliant to various sections of the act by the local administration.