The Tobacco Control Scale as a research tool to measure country level tobacco control policy implementation
File(s)
Published version
Author(s)
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
Introduction:
The Tobacco Control Scale (TCS) was designed for advocacy purposes but has also been used as a research tool. In the present study, we characterized TCS use, its limitations and strengths, and critically assessed its use as a research instrument.
Methods:
We conducted an extensive search of the biomedical databases PubMed and Web of Science for the keyword ‘tobacco control scale’ in all fields. The search was limited to studies published in the period March 2006 to December 2019. Out of 69 hits, 32 studies met the inclusion criteria. Two reviewers independently extracted information from each publication regarding their general characteristics, publication and research aspects, and the characteristics of the use of the TCS.
Results:
We found that researchers have used the TCS as a tool to monitor tobacco control policies mainly in cross-sectional observational studies with ecological and multilevel designs directed to advocacy and the promotion of further research. Different outcomes, such as smoking prevalence and quit ratios, have been associated with tobacco control policy scores. The main reported limitations of the TCS were a low variance across countries and a failure to express enforcement and to incorporate the most recent legislation.
Conclusions:
The TCS has been commonly used to assess differences in outcomes according to tobacco control policies. However, there are still areas for improvement in its use in research regarding the lack of comparability of TCS scores across time. The lessons that have been learned should be used to adapt and expand the TCS overseas.
The Tobacco Control Scale (TCS) was designed for advocacy purposes but has also been used as a research tool. In the present study, we characterized TCS use, its limitations and strengths, and critically assessed its use as a research instrument.
Methods:
We conducted an extensive search of the biomedical databases PubMed and Web of Science for the keyword ‘tobacco control scale’ in all fields. The search was limited to studies published in the period March 2006 to December 2019. Out of 69 hits, 32 studies met the inclusion criteria. Two reviewers independently extracted information from each publication regarding their general characteristics, publication and research aspects, and the characteristics of the use of the TCS.
Results:
We found that researchers have used the TCS as a tool to monitor tobacco control policies mainly in cross-sectional observational studies with ecological and multilevel designs directed to advocacy and the promotion of further research. Different outcomes, such as smoking prevalence and quit ratios, have been associated with tobacco control policy scores. The main reported limitations of the TCS were a low variance across countries and a failure to express enforcement and to incorporate the most recent legislation.
Conclusions:
The TCS has been commonly used to assess differences in outcomes according to tobacco control policies. However, there are still areas for improvement in its use in research regarding the lack of comparability of TCS scores across time. The lessons that have been learned should be used to adapt and expand the TCS overseas.
Date Issued
2020-11-01
Date Acceptance
2020-10-09
Citation
Tobacco Induced Diseases, 2020, 18
ISSN
1617-9625
Publisher
European Publishing
Journal / Book Title
Tobacco Induced Diseases
Volume
18
Issue
November
Copyright Statement
© 2020 Feliu A. et al. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
License URL
Identifier
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/33192223
PII: 91
Subjects
ASSOCIATION
CIGARETTES
epidemiology
EUROPEAN-UNION
EXPOSURE
IMPACT
Life Sciences & Biomedicine
MPOWER
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
research
Science & Technology
SMOKING-CESSATION
SOCIOECONOMIC INEQUALITIES
Substance Abuse
tobacco
tobacco control policies
Publication Status
Published
Coverage Spatial
Greece
Article Number
91
Date Publish Online
2020-11-03