The broad objective of the TCP India Project is to evaluate and understand the prevalence and patterns of tobacco use and impact of tobacco control policies of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) as they are implemented in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) participating in the International Tobacco Control Policy Evaluation Project (the ITC Project).
Note: The name Tobacco Control Project (TCP) is used in reference to the India Project instead of International Tobacco Control (ITC) Project, used with other countries, because in India the abbreviation ITC also refers to the Indian Tobacco Company.
Longitudinal cohort study
01 Feb, 2017 to 31 Dec, 2021
University of Waterloo, Canada
A total of 2000 tobacco users and 600 non-users from urban and rural population sample were selected from each of the four states of Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal and Bihar for the study. Wave 1 and Wave 2 of the TCP India project have already been executed. As a follow-up, in Wave 3 re-contact of participants recruited in previous waves across these four states have been done.
Dr. Mangesh S Pednekar, Dr. Geoffrey T. Fong
Dr. Prakash C. Gupta
As of March 2022
Data based is finalized.
The technical report for the Wave 3 data set is been finalized.
This study aims to prospectively measure Community Tobacco Environmental (CTE) factors (i.e., objective assessments of community level compliance with tobacco control laws, availability of all forms of tobacco products including gutkha and e-cigarettes, and the presence of tobacco vendors and advertisements). The study will also estimate whether CTE factors are longitudinally associated with adolescent tobacco use initiation and trajectories
Longitudinal Cohort study extending over a period of five years
August 2016-December 2021
1)University of Michigan, USA
2)University of California (UCLA), Los Angeles, Fielding School of Public Health, USA
Dr. Mangesh S Pednekar, Dr. Ritesh Mistry.
Dr. Prakash C. Gupta, Dr. William McCarthy, Prof. Trivellore Raghunathan,
Dr. Namrata Puntambekar.
Approximately 2000 adolescents and their parents will be surveyed and followed up over a period of four years in two cities in India- Mumbai and Kolkata.
Longitudinal study of adolescent tobacco use and tobacco control policies in India.
As of March 2022
Wave 3 data collection is completed and currently working on developing survey tools for Wave 4.
All the tools (consent, scripts, and questionnaire) for Wave 4 have been finalized in all the languages (English, Hindi, Marathi, and Bengali).
Community mapping has been completed in all the areas in Mumbai and Kolkata.
The study aims to identify effective strategies for broad-based implementation of the evidence-based tobacco control intervention (tested in schools of Bihar) that can be embedded in existing organizational infrastructures and can accommodate the realities of low-resource settings. The study will be implemented in schools of Bihar.
Intervention Dissemination
December 2016 - December 2021
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute & Harvard School of Public Health, USA
University of Minnesota, USA
Centre for Health Decision Science, Harvard School of Public Health, USA
Dr. Prakash C. Gupta, Dr. Glorian Sorensen
Dr. Mangesh S. Pednekar, Dr. Eve M. Nagler, Dr. K. Viswanath, Dr. Harry A. Lando, Dr. Jane Kim, Dr. Dhirendra N. Sinha
Cluster coordinators, headmasters and other school personnel in Bihar.
Tobacco Free Teachers-Tobacco Free Society...Self Help Guide
As of March 2022
We are working on the data analysis from the gathered data points throughout the program implementation for the study.
We are also working on drafting the implementation manuscript.
We are also working on the transcription of the focus group discussions.
This study investigates the relationship between carcinogen content in smokeless tobacco (SLT) products and relevant exposures as well as oral/head and neck cancer (OHNC) risk in users of these products, while concurrently building capacity for a sustainable tobacco carcinogenesis research program in India.
Laboratory Epidemiology
August 2017- July 2022
Department of Otolaryngology, University of Minnesota, US
Masonic Cancer Center, US
Tata Memorial Hospital, India
Advanced Centre for Treatment, Research and Education in Cancer (ACTREC), Navi Mumbai, India
Dr. Samir S. Khariwala, Dr. Irina Stepanov, Dr. Pankaj Chaturvedi
Dr. Prakash C. Gupta, Dr. Vikram Gota, Dr. Dorothy Hatsukami, Dr. Saonli Basu
Observed Circumvention of the Gutka Smokeless Tobacco Ban in Mumbai, India.
Patients with oral head and neck cancer and healthy smokeless tobacco users.
As of March 2022
All the pictures of tobacco have been clicked and Masterfile for the products has been made.
The web portal has been designed which will display all necessary project information on the Healis website.
A smokeless tobacco review paper has been drafted and circulated with the full team for review.
Continued storage of tobacco product samples obtained from recruited patients as well as smokeless products collected as a part of the repository.
The study aims to measure the effectiveness of a worksite multi-component environmental intervention to reduce cardiometabolic risk in India and to evaluate the process outcomes. As an important way to translate CVD prevention efforts, worksite interventions can facilitate healthy food choices, health education, and social support.
Behavioural Qualitative Intervention
June 2019- March 2022
Yale School of Public Health, USA
Durban University of Technology, South Africa
Dr. Mangesh S. Pednekar, Dr. Donna Spiegelman
Dr. Prakash C. Gupta, Dr. Ashika Naicker
Permanent/Contractual worksite employees
As of March 2022
Qualitative data collection was completed with 8 FGDs and 4 IDIs.
Quantitative Data collection is ongoing.
The study aims to tailor the Tobacco Free Teachers-Tobacco Free Society (TFT-TFS) program to the Madhya Pradesh (MP) context and develop a smartphone-based training model that is feasible for the MP Department of Education. Further, this study also aims to determine the implementation fidelity, effectiveness, and cost of in-person training vs. smartphone-based training for training headmasters to deliver the TFT-TFS program in their schools.
Behavioural Mixed Methods
September 2021- July 2025
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, USA
Harvard School of Public Health, USA
Madhya Pradesh Voluntary Health Association (MPVHA). MP, India
Dr. Mangesh S. Pednekar, Dr. Eve Nagler
Dr. Prakash C. Gupta, Dr. Glorian Sorensen, Dr. Gundersen
District Education Department personnel, cluster coordinators, headmasters, and other school personnel in Madhya Pradesh, India.
As of March 2022
We had applied for the Health Ministry's Screening Committee (HMSC) at the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and the HMSC clearance was obtained for the study.
We are currently working on developing tools and survey instruments for the study.
The main objective of the study is to examine the perceived effectiveness of the text warning on areca nut products and compare them with mandated pictorial warning labels on smokeless tobacco products.
Cross-sectional Study
Jan 01, 2022 to Dec 31, 2022
Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)
Dr. Namrata Puntambekar
Dr. Prakash C. Gupta, Dr. Mangesh S. Pednekar
18 years and above (only participants from Mumbai city)
As of March 2022
The study is technically approved and fund has been received.
Currently working on finalization of methodology and planning of the study.
To study the knowledge, attitude, beliefs and factors related to COVID-19 vaccination hesitancy across Maharashtra.
Cross-sectional Study
Dec 01, 2021 to Aug 31, 2022
None
Dr. Khushbu Sharma
Dr. Rupesh Mahajan, Dr. Mangesh S. Pednekar, Dr. Prakash C. Gupta, Mr. Sameer Narake
18 years and above (only participants from Maharashtra state)
As of March 2022
We have worked on the preparation and finalization of the survey tools.
The survey questionnaire was translated into Hindi and Marathi.
The redcap programme was developed for three languages, English, Hindi and Marathi.
The online survey was launched on March 18, 2022 though WhatsApp initially and further through other social media, emails and Healis website.
Currently the survey link is active for data collection.