Association Between Tobacco Plain Packaging and Quitline Calls: a Population-based, Interrupted Time
Wednesday, February 12, 2014
Posted by: Natalia Gromov
Med
J Aust. 2014 Jan 20;200(1):29-32.
Association Between
Tobacco Plain Packaging and Quitline Calls: a Population-based, Interrupted
Time-series Analysis.
Young JM, Stacey I, Dobbins
TA, Dunlop S, Dessaix AL, Currow DC
This study investigated whether the introduction of tobacco plain packaging in
Australia from 1 October 2012 was associated with a change in the number of
calls to the smoking cessation helpline, Quitline, and to compare this with the
impact of the introduction of graphic health warnings from 1 March 2006. DESIGN
AND SETTING: Whole-of-population interrupted time-series analysis in New South
Wales and the Australian Capital Territory between 1 March 2005 and October
2006 for the comparator, graphic health warnings, and October 2011 and April
2013 for the intervention of interest, tobacco plain packaging. MAIN OUTCOME
MEASURE: Weekly number of calls to the Quitline, after adjusting for seasonal
trends, anti-tobacco advertising, cigarette costliness and the number of
smokers in the community. RESULTS: There was a 78% increase in the number of
calls to the Quitline associated with the introduction of plain packaging
(baseline, 363/week; peak, 651/week [95% CI, 523-780/week; P < 0.001]). This
peak occurred 4 weeks after the initial appearance of plain packaging and has
been prolonged. The 2006 introduction of graphic health warnings had the same
relative increase in calls (84%; baseline, 910/week; peak, 1673/week [95% CI,
1383-1963/week; P < 0.001]) but the impact of plain packaging has continued
for longer. CONCLUSIONS: There has been a sustained increase in calls to the
Quitline after the introduction of tobacco plain packaging. This increase is
not attributable to anti-tobacco advertising activity, cigarette price
increases nor other identifiable causes. This is an important incremental step
in comprehensive tobacco control.
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