Objective measurement of area differences in ‘private’ smoking behaviour: observing smoking in vehicles

Abstract

Observing smoking in vehicles using a single-observer method provides a feasible and objective indicator of the different smoking behaviours, especially around children, within an area. This study further supports the evidence from this country and internationally that adults and children from high-deprivation areas are much more likely to be exposed to secondhand smoke.

Developing a smartphone ‘app’ for public health research: the example of measuring observed smoking in vehicles

“…The results for New Zealand obtained to date (a smoking in vehicles prevalence of 2.9% for n=9885 vehicles as of 19 December, 2012) are similar to the findings of a much larger New Zealand study in 20117 (ie, 3.2% in 149 886 vehicles, 95% CI 3.1% to 3.3%). Most of the other data to date has been collected in Poland (n=8028, 2.6% smoking in vehicles prevalence) and Australia (n=4819, 1.0% smoking in vehicles prevalence).…”

“…Most of the other data to date has been collected in Poland (n=8028, 2.6% smoking in vehicles prevalence) and Australia (n=4819, 1.0% smoking in vehicles prevalence). It should be noted that cross-country, cross-site or cross-period comparisons would ideally adjust for vehicle occupancy (how many people in vehicles) as in a previous study 7. The app and website are currently in preparation for a wider promotion and release to a broader public for participation.…”

“…Smoking could be defined as one or more people in a vehicle holding a cigarette, pipe or cigar in their hand or mouth. Pairs of observers could work together, and test the interobserver variation in different settings (though previous work suggests high κ scores with low interobserver variation6 7). …”

“…Observers used a mechanical counter to count the total number of vehicles that fitted the sample frame (regardless of whether smoking was observed or not). They recorded, for vehicles with smoking, the presence of other adults and of children on a preformatted data sheet 6 7. In the second project, we observed 149 886 vehicles, with a mean point prevalence of smoking in vehicles of 3.2%.…”

“…These include two in the same setting (Wellington, New Zealand6 7) one in Veneto, Northern Italy,8 and one in Barcelona, Spain 9. Given growing international interest in legislating against smoking in vehicles (and the need to evaluate such laws when they are passed), it is desirable to improve on time-consuming and fragmented manual methods of data collection.…”