Tobacco use and COVID-19 in Ghana: generating evidence to support policy and practice
# Background The COVID-19 pandemic has affected over 45 million people and caused over a million deaths globally. Tobacco use, a threat to public health worldwide, increases the risk of developing severe COVID-19 disease and death. The hand-to-mouth action, smoking-induced lung diseases, and the sha...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Inishmore Laser Scientific Publishing Ltd
2021-03-01
|
| Series: | Journal of Global Health Reports |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.29392/001c.19141 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1849335168308871168 |
|---|---|
| author | Arti Singh Divine Darlington Logo Fiona Dobbie Rob Ralston Fiona Davidson Linda Bauld Ellis Owusu-Dabo |
| author_facet | Arti Singh Divine Darlington Logo Fiona Dobbie Rob Ralston Fiona Davidson Linda Bauld Ellis Owusu-Dabo |
| author_sort | Arti Singh |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | # Background
The COVID-19 pandemic has affected over 45 million people and caused over a million deaths globally. Tobacco use, a threat to public health worldwide, increases the risk of developing severe COVID-19 disease and death. The hand-to-mouth action, smoking-induced lung diseases, and the sharing of tobacco products such as water pipes, increase a smoker’s vulnerability to COVID-19. Implementation of tobacco control efforts in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) including sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is a particular challenge. The aim of this study in Ghana was to produce evidence to support governments to make informed policy decisions about tobacco control interventions in the context of COVID-19.
# Methods
A survey with key stakeholders (conducted online or via face to face interview) and a desk-based mapping of data sources including government reports and online print press. Face-to Face interviews followed the COVID-19 precautionary protocols.
# Results
40 stakeholders participated in the interviews (28 online and 12 face-to-face). 46 data sources were identified from the mapping of which 16 were eligible for data extraction. Over two fifths of survey respondents (42.9%, n=12) agreed that the relationship between COVID-19 and tobacco use had been discussed in the media, and over half (57%, n=16) reported that public health professionals and other authorities had provided advice to tobacco users during the pandemic. While respondents (89%, n=25) did not see a change in the level of interest in tobacco cessation, less than a quarter (23%, n=6) indicated that the policy response to COVID-19 included a focus on tobacco control issues, but was limited to tobacco cessation. The majority of respondents (77%, n=31) reported a perceived limited impact on the tobacco industry’s operations during the pandemic.
# Conclusions
COVID-19 provides a timely opportunity to strengthen tobacco control efforts by recognizing the role of tobacco use in potentially exacerbating covid-19 health outcomes and promoting cessation. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-a75477853fa9418fbad3b846161fbcd0 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2399-1623 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2021-03-01 |
| publisher | Inishmore Laser Scientific Publishing Ltd |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Global Health Reports |
| spelling | doaj-art-a75477853fa9418fbad3b846161fbcd02025-08-20T03:45:23ZengInishmore Laser Scientific Publishing LtdJournal of Global Health Reports2399-16232021-03-01510.29392/001c.19141Tobacco use and COVID-19 in Ghana: generating evidence to support policy and practiceArti SinghDivine Darlington LogoFiona DobbieRob RalstonFiona DavidsonLinda BauldEllis Owusu-Dabo# Background The COVID-19 pandemic has affected over 45 million people and caused over a million deaths globally. Tobacco use, a threat to public health worldwide, increases the risk of developing severe COVID-19 disease and death. The hand-to-mouth action, smoking-induced lung diseases, and the sharing of tobacco products such as water pipes, increase a smoker’s vulnerability to COVID-19. Implementation of tobacco control efforts in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) including sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is a particular challenge. The aim of this study in Ghana was to produce evidence to support governments to make informed policy decisions about tobacco control interventions in the context of COVID-19. # Methods A survey with key stakeholders (conducted online or via face to face interview) and a desk-based mapping of data sources including government reports and online print press. Face-to Face interviews followed the COVID-19 precautionary protocols. # Results 40 stakeholders participated in the interviews (28 online and 12 face-to-face). 46 data sources were identified from the mapping of which 16 were eligible for data extraction. Over two fifths of survey respondents (42.9%, n=12) agreed that the relationship between COVID-19 and tobacco use had been discussed in the media, and over half (57%, n=16) reported that public health professionals and other authorities had provided advice to tobacco users during the pandemic. While respondents (89%, n=25) did not see a change in the level of interest in tobacco cessation, less than a quarter (23%, n=6) indicated that the policy response to COVID-19 included a focus on tobacco control issues, but was limited to tobacco cessation. The majority of respondents (77%, n=31) reported a perceived limited impact on the tobacco industry’s operations during the pandemic. # Conclusions COVID-19 provides a timely opportunity to strengthen tobacco control efforts by recognizing the role of tobacco use in potentially exacerbating covid-19 health outcomes and promoting cessation.https://doi.org/10.29392/001c.19141 |
| spellingShingle | Arti Singh Divine Darlington Logo Fiona Dobbie Rob Ralston Fiona Davidson Linda Bauld Ellis Owusu-Dabo Tobacco use and COVID-19 in Ghana: generating evidence to support policy and practice Journal of Global Health Reports |
| title | Tobacco use and COVID-19 in Ghana: generating evidence to support policy and practice |
| title_full | Tobacco use and COVID-19 in Ghana: generating evidence to support policy and practice |
| title_fullStr | Tobacco use and COVID-19 in Ghana: generating evidence to support policy and practice |
| title_full_unstemmed | Tobacco use and COVID-19 in Ghana: generating evidence to support policy and practice |
| title_short | Tobacco use and COVID-19 in Ghana: generating evidence to support policy and practice |
| title_sort | tobacco use and covid 19 in ghana generating evidence to support policy and practice |
| url | https://doi.org/10.29392/001c.19141 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT artisingh tobaccouseandcovid19inghanageneratingevidencetosupportpolicyandpractice AT divinedarlingtonlogo tobaccouseandcovid19inghanageneratingevidencetosupportpolicyandpractice AT fionadobbie tobaccouseandcovid19inghanageneratingevidencetosupportpolicyandpractice AT robralston tobaccouseandcovid19inghanageneratingevidencetosupportpolicyandpractice AT fionadavidson tobaccouseandcovid19inghanageneratingevidencetosupportpolicyandpractice AT lindabauld tobaccouseandcovid19inghanageneratingevidencetosupportpolicyandpractice AT ellisowusudabo tobaccouseandcovid19inghanageneratingevidencetosupportpolicyandpractice |