BackgroundThe impact of tobacco control policies on measures of smoking cessation behaviour has often been studied, yet there is little information on their precise magnitude and duration. This study aims to measure the magnitude and timing of the impact of Dutch tobacco control policies on the rate of searching for information on smoking cessation, using Google Trends search query data.MethodsAn interrupted time series analysis was used to examine the effect of two types of policies (smoke-free legislation and reimbursement of smoking cessation support (SCS)) on Google searches for ‘quit smoking’. Google Trends data were seasonally adjusted and analysed using autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) modelling. Multiple effect periods were modelled as dummy variables and analysed simultaneously to examine the magnitude and duration of the effect of each intervention. The same analysis was repeated with Belgian search query data as a control group, since Belgium is the country most comparable to the Netherlands in terms of geography, language, history and culture.ResultsA significant increase in relative search volume (RSV) was found from one to four weeks (21–41%) after the introduction of the smoking ban in restaurants and bars in the Netherlands in 2008. The introduction of SCS reimbursement in 2011 was associated with a significant increase of RSV (16–22%) in the Netherlands after 3 to 52 weeks. The reintroduction of SCS in 2013 was associated with a significant increase of RSV (9–21%) in the Netherlands from 3 to 32 weeks after the intervention. No effects were found in the Belgian control group for the smoking ban and the reintroduction of SCS in 2013, but there was a significant increase in RSV shortly before and after the introduction of SCS in 2011.ConclusionsThese findings suggest that these tobacco control policies have short-term or medium-term effects on the rate of searching for information on smoking cessation, and therefore potentially on smoking cessation rates.

Multimorbidity is common among young workers and related to increased work absenteeism and presenteeism: results from the population-based Raine Study cohort by Troelstra SA, Straker L, Harris M, Brown S, van der Beek AJ, Coenen P Multimorbidity is already highly prevalent among young working adults (53%). Work productivity loss (ie, absenteeism and presenteeism) gradually increased as the number of condition categories increased. Health-related productivity loss is a clear issue for young workers. Early prevention and management is important to minimize prevalence and impact of health conditions and disorders.

Smoking and sickness absence: a systematic review and meta-analysis by Troelstra SA, Coenen P, Boot CRL, Harting J, Kunst AE, van der Beek AJSmoking increased both the risk of sickness absence and the number of sickness absence days, regardless of gender, age, study location, and occupational class. This suggests that all employers and employees, irrespective of these characteristics, could equally benefit from smoking cessation, and therefore that all employee populations should equally be offered the opportunity to participate in smoking cessation interventions. Troelstra SA. Coenen P, Boot CRL, Harting J, Kunst AE, van der Beek AJ. Smoking and sickness absence: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Scand J Work Environ Health. 2020;46(1):5-18. doi:10.5271/sjweh.3848Objectives Evidence on the effect of smoking on sickness absence could guide workplace smoking cessation interventions and encourage employers to promote smoking cessation among their employees. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to summarize evidence on the association between smoking and sickness absence and determine whether there are differences in this association for study design, methodology, and sample characteristics. MethodsWe searched for studies that reported on smoking status and sickness absence, used empirical data, were published in a peer-reviewed journal in the last 25 years, and written in English. We conducted pooled analyses in which uni-and multivariate generalized linear regression models were applied. ResultsAfter screening 2551 unique records, 46 articles from 43 studies were included, of which 33 studies (with 1 240 723 participants) could be included in the pooled analyses. Smoking was associated with an 31% increase in risk of sickness absence compared to non-smoking (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.24-39). We did not find statistically significant different effect sizes for study location, gender, age, occupational class, study design, assessment of sickness absence, short-versus long-term sickness absence, and adjustment for relevant confounders. Furthermore, smoking was associated with 2.89 more sickness absence days per year compared to non-smoking (95% CI 2.08-3.70). ConclusionsWe found robust evidence showing that smoking increases both the risk and number of sickness absence days in working populations, regardless of study location, gender, age, and occupational class. Encouraging smoking cessation at the workplace could therefore be beneficial for employers and employees.

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