Impact of waterpipe tobacco pack health warnings on waterpipe smoking behaviour: protocol and preliminary findings
| Author(s)
Mohammed Ali, Aimee Grant, Ali Bakir, Sena Jawad and Mohammed Jawad
| | Presenter(s) |
Dr Mohammed Jawad Clinical Research Fellow, Department of Primary Care and Public Health, Imperial College London |
Aimee Grant Research Fellow, Cardiff University | Abstract Introduction: Waterpipe (shisha) smoking is prevalent worldwide. Existing waterpipe tobacco packs are non-compliant with international legislation requirements for health warning labels, and the waterpipe tobacco industry operates without regulation. Little is known about the effectiveness of waterpipe tobacco control measures on smoking behaviour. We sought to evaluate the impact of waterpipe tobacco pack health warnings on smoking behaviour among regular waterpipe smokers in London.
Methods: A research protocol was developed to undertake focus groups among regular waterpipe smokers in London. Mock health warning labels were created, complying with current and future UK legislation, including a standardised waterpipe tobacco pack (“plain pack”). A pilot focus group tested our protocol methodology and further focus groups, recruited by snowball sampling, are currently underway to test the impact of health warnings on smoking behaviour.
Results and Conclusion: Our mock health warnings show good face validity and the pilot focus group resulted in important methodology changes. Preliminary findings suggest waterpipe tobacco pack health warnings may be effective in changing smoking behaviour, especially if conformant to existing or future legislation. However they may have limited benefit in a waterpipe premise setting as customers visiting waterpipe premises do not purchase waterpipe tobacco packs themselves.
| Source of funding: None
| Declaration of interest: None
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