Table 1 Characteristics of tobacco control surveys
From: 'The smoking toolkit study': a national study of smoking and smoking cessation in England
Survey | Sampling | Frequency of data collection | Tobacco control parameters measured |
|---|---|---|---|
GHS/GLF | Nationally representative household surveys across the UK. N = ~ 14,500 adult smokers and non-smokers. | Annual, smoking data collected since 1974. From 2005, respondents followed-up for 4 years, with ~25% replaced each year. | Smoking prevalence; cigarette consumption; cigarette type; cigarette dependence; tar yield; age started smoking; desire to quit; demographics. |
HSE | Nationally representative household surveys across England. N = 5000-15000 adults smokers and non-smokers. | Annual, since 1991. No follow-up. | Smoking prevalence; cigarette consumption; cigarette type; cigarette dependence; salivary cotinine (biochemical indicator of cigarette smoke intake); focus in 2007 on Smokefree legislation. |
ONS | Nationally representative household surveys across the UK. N = ~1,800 adult smokers and non-smokers. | Monthly, since 1990. Basic smoking questions asked routinely in 2 months each year. Additional smoking questions included when requested. | Varies month-to-month and year-to-year. At least yearly: smoking prevalence, dependence, behaviour, and habits. Previously requested: attitudes towards smoking, quitting, and smoking restrictions; awareness of health-risks; attempts to quit; demographics. |
ITC | Random telephone dialling across 20 countries (including UK and USA); telephone surveys. N = ~2,000 adult smokers per country. | Annual, since 2002. Yearly follow-up with replenishment for drop-outs and those who stop smoking. | Smoking behaviours and dependence; quitting behaviours; use of alternative nicotine products; attitudes towards and effects of label warnings, advertising, and taxation; health beliefs; demographics; other potential moderators. |
ATTEMPT | Internet recruitment and assessment across the UK, USA, France, and Canada. N = ~2,000 adult smokers intending to quit in next 3 months. | Survey lasted 2.5 years. Tri-monthly follow-up. | Smoking behaviours and dependence; number and method of quit attempts; reasons for quitting; short-term health effects; weight-related measures; demographics. |