This study was conducted to aassess the extent to which a comprehensive tobacco control intervention results in increased cessation of tobacco use among teachers in Bihar schools along with changes in school tobacco control policies, to assess the extent to which a comprehensive tobacco control intervention results in changes in defined mediating mechanisms among teachers and to assess key indicators of intervention implementation among schools assigned to the intervention condition.
Randomized Control Trial
01.01.2007 to 31.12.2013
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston MA, USA, University of Minnesota, the New England Research Institute, and Harvard School of Public Health.
Dr. Prakash C. Gupta, Dr. Glorian Sorensen, Dr. Mangesh S. Pednekar (Co-investigator), Dr. K. Viswanath (Co-investigator), Dr.Dhirendra Sinha(Co-investigator).
Government schools (N=72) including grades 8-10 in the state of Bihar, India, were randomly selected, recruited to participate in the study, and randomly assigned within two strata (rural/urban) to one of two conditions: an intervention condition or a delayed intervention control condition. The study was conducted on a rolling basis in the two waves, each with 36 randomly selected schools initiating the study over two consecutive academic years.
This study was done to assess the efficacy of the comprehensive tobacco control intervention in terms of two outcomes: increased cessation of tobacco use among workers (primary outcome), increased adoption and enforcement of worksite tobacco control policies (secondary outcome).
Randomized Controlled Trial
12 July 2010 to 30 June 2015
Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard School of Public Health, USA
The Mumbai Worksite Tobacco Research was initiated to design and test an intervention for tobacco cessation aimed at manufacturing worksites in the Mumbai, Thane and Raigad districts in Maharashtra, India by using a randomized control trial.
Dr. Glorian Sorensen, Dr. Mangesh S. Pednekar (Co-investigator), Dr. K. Viswanath (Co-investigator), Dr. Prakash C. Gupta (Co-investigator).
The study was in collaborative effort between the U.S. National Cancer Institute and researchers in India in Healis, Mumbai, PHFI, Delhi and RCC, Trivandrum. The goal of the two-year pilot study was to assess the feasibility of establishing a large prospective cohort in India. The feasibility study was divided into three components with the following objectives: 1. Evaluation of conducting chronic disease and diet research in India, 2. Detailed Characterization of the Indian Diet and 3. Evaluation of Follow-up and End-point Ascertainment. In addition, this feasibility study also provides cross-sectional data that can be used to explore several ‘stand-alone’ substantive hypotheses regarding nutrition.
January 2008 to August 2009
National Cancer Institute
Dr Prakash C Gupta, Co-Investigator Dr. Sreevidya Subramoney
Participants were individuals within the age group of 35-69 years resided in study area for a minimum period of one year (to minimize the number of frequent movers), had no prior history of cancer or cardiovascular event, could speak English or the primary regional language, had no physical ailments that would prevent them from fully participating in the study, were willing to provide biological samples, and were not pregnant, if female. Approximately equal number of subjects for each five-year age category and one male and one female per household for equal gender distribution and cost efficiency were recruited.
The VoTV campaign provided a stage to victims (or immediate caregiver) to tell what they wanted to tell. Patients were not ‘used,’ ‘displayed’ or ‘paraded’ for advancing tobacco control; rather they were empowered to say what they wanted to say. The stage for a VoTV function was set up with the presence of policy makers, senior bureaucrats and media by tobacco control professionals associated with the campaign.
Evidence based tobacco control policy options were discussed by tobacco control professionals and suggested to patients by their doctors. A VoTV function was generally organized in collaboration with a local partner and technical know-how from VoTV. In reporting the functions and its achievements, maximum credit was given to local collaborators.
In fact, many reports did not have any mention of VoTV. After the event, VoTV followed-up with policy makers on promises made or assurances given and additional information required, if any towards advancing tobacco control.
July 2011- May 2017
Voice of Tobacco Victims (VoTV) was in collaboration with the Tata Memorial Hospital and Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids (CTFK) staff in India, with inputs from Healis staff an advocacy campaign by the victims of tobacco (mostly patients of mouth and throat cancers) to advance tobacco control policies.
Dr. Prakash Gupta, Dr. Pankaj Chaturvedi (Co-investigator), Ms. Ashima Sarin (Co-investigator), Mr. Sanjay Seth (Co-investigator)
Website (www.votvindia.org) was developed, maintained and periodically updated.