Tobacco control research in South Africa from 1978 to 2022: A scoping review
Background. South Africa (SA) is one of the leading countries in tobacco control research in the African region. Objective. To summarise this research over a 44-year period (1978 - 2022), and to identify research gaps. Methods. This is a scoping review of published primary research on tobac...
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| Language: | English |
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South African Medical Association
2024-11-01
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| Series: | South African Medical Journal |
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| Online Access: | https://samajournals.co.za/index.php/samj/article/view/2360 |
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| author | C O Egbe C Dare S Gwambe C van Walbeek |
| author_facet | C O Egbe C Dare S Gwambe C van Walbeek |
| author_sort | C O Egbe |
| collection | DOAJ |
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Background. South Africa (SA) is one of the leading countries in tobacco control research in the African region.
Objective. To summarise this research over a 44-year period (1978 - 2022), and to identify research gaps.
Methods. This is a scoping review of published primary research on tobacco control in SA. Three databases were searched – PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science. A spreadsheet to capture specified details of the articles was designed by the researchers. We captured year of publication, names of authors and their affiliation(s), name of journal, title of article, key areas of tobacco control covered by the article, type of study and the funding institution.
Results. We identified 6 743 initial records. A total of 223 articles were included in the final analysis. The number of published primary research articles by year ranged from 1 in 1978 to 22 in 2022. Most studies (46.2%; n=103) focused on prevalence, while cost of e-cigarette use and industry interference received the least attention (0.4%; n=1 each). A total of 79% of the studies used cross-sectional survey design, followed by randomised controlled trials (3.6%; n=8), time series studies (3.1%; n=7) and longitudinal and qualitative studies (2.2%; n=5 each), while costs and benefits analysis (0.4%; n=1) was used much less. Most were published in the South African Medical Journal, and three of the top international tobacco control journals: Tobacco Control, Nicotine and Tobacco Research and Tobacco Induced Diseases. Almost half of the first authors of these publications are based in three institutions: the University of Cape Town (17.0%), the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) (16.1%) and the University of Pretoria (13.5%). SAMRC was found to be the leading funder of tobacco control research/publications in SA.
Conclusion. There has been a steady increase of tobacco control research in SA over the past 44 years, with a sharp increase within the last decade. Most studies used cross-sectional designs and focused on prevalence. More mixed-methods studies are needed to better understand the issue of tobacco in the SA context. More studies are also needed that focus on the impact of policies, nicotine addiction and industry interference. The continued funding of tobacco control research in SA will advance knowledge and inform tobacco control policies in the country.
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| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-2ac9b2483eb94a17916a12aa0d9aa30a |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 0256-9574 2078-5135 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-11-01 |
| publisher | South African Medical Association |
| record_format | Article |
| series | South African Medical Journal |
| spelling | doaj-art-2ac9b2483eb94a17916a12aa0d9aa30a2025-02-10T12:25:28ZengSouth African Medical AssociationSouth African Medical Journal0256-95742078-51352024-11-011141210.7196/SAMJ.2024.v114i12.2360Tobacco control research in South Africa from 1978 to 2022: A scoping reviewC O Egbe0https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5698-6866C Dare1https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5001-8768S Gwambe2C van Walbeek3https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0933-435XMental Health, Alcohol, Substance Use and Tobacco Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council, Pretoria, South Africa; Department of Public Health, Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, Pretoria, South AfricaResearch Unit on the Economics of Excisable Products, School of Economics, University of Cape Town, South Africa; SAMRC/Wits Centre for Health Economics and Decision Science – PPRICELESS SA, School of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South AfricaMental Health, Alcohol, Substance Use and Tobacco Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council, Pretoria, South AfricaResearch Unit on the Economics of Excisable Products, School of Economics, University of Cape Town, South Africa Background. South Africa (SA) is one of the leading countries in tobacco control research in the African region. Objective. To summarise this research over a 44-year period (1978 - 2022), and to identify research gaps. Methods. This is a scoping review of published primary research on tobacco control in SA. Three databases were searched – PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science. A spreadsheet to capture specified details of the articles was designed by the researchers. We captured year of publication, names of authors and their affiliation(s), name of journal, title of article, key areas of tobacco control covered by the article, type of study and the funding institution. Results. We identified 6 743 initial records. A total of 223 articles were included in the final analysis. The number of published primary research articles by year ranged from 1 in 1978 to 22 in 2022. Most studies (46.2%; n=103) focused on prevalence, while cost of e-cigarette use and industry interference received the least attention (0.4%; n=1 each). A total of 79% of the studies used cross-sectional survey design, followed by randomised controlled trials (3.6%; n=8), time series studies (3.1%; n=7) and longitudinal and qualitative studies (2.2%; n=5 each), while costs and benefits analysis (0.4%; n=1) was used much less. Most were published in the South African Medical Journal, and three of the top international tobacco control journals: Tobacco Control, Nicotine and Tobacco Research and Tobacco Induced Diseases. Almost half of the first authors of these publications are based in three institutions: the University of Cape Town (17.0%), the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) (16.1%) and the University of Pretoria (13.5%). SAMRC was found to be the leading funder of tobacco control research/publications in SA. Conclusion. There has been a steady increase of tobacco control research in SA over the past 44 years, with a sharp increase within the last decade. Most studies used cross-sectional designs and focused on prevalence. More mixed-methods studies are needed to better understand the issue of tobacco in the SA context. More studies are also needed that focus on the impact of policies, nicotine addiction and industry interference. The continued funding of tobacco control research in SA will advance knowledge and inform tobacco control policies in the country. https://samajournals.co.za/index.php/samj/article/view/2360Tobacco controlPrimary researchpeer-reviewedscoping reviewSouth Africa |
| spellingShingle | C O Egbe C Dare S Gwambe C van Walbeek Tobacco control research in South Africa from 1978 to 2022: A scoping review South African Medical Journal Tobacco control Primary research peer-reviewed scoping review South Africa |
| title | Tobacco control research in South Africa from 1978 to 2022: A scoping review |
| title_full | Tobacco control research in South Africa from 1978 to 2022: A scoping review |
| title_fullStr | Tobacco control research in South Africa from 1978 to 2022: A scoping review |
| title_full_unstemmed | Tobacco control research in South Africa from 1978 to 2022: A scoping review |
| title_short | Tobacco control research in South Africa from 1978 to 2022: A scoping review |
| title_sort | tobacco control research in south africa from 1978 to 2022 a scoping review |
| topic | Tobacco control Primary research peer-reviewed scoping review South Africa |
| url | https://samajournals.co.za/index.php/samj/article/view/2360 |
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