Work

Formulating tobacco control policies: How can local governments contribute?

Year: 2024

Type: article

Abstract: INTRODUCTION: Due to a continuing international trend of decentralization of public health policies, local governments are given an increasingly important role in tobacco control. The process of developing local-level tobacco control policies is an underexplored topic. This study uses grant applications as a data source to gain insight into the planning, development and proposed implementation of local tobacco control policies by regional public health departments in the Netherlands. METHODS: Grant applications of 24 regional public health departments were analyzed using the second stage of the rational policy cycle, a four-stages policy model about the decisions made by local policy makers during the policy process. We coded the applications with open and axial coding. RESULTS: Public health departments formulated four main goals for tobacco control: adding tobacco control policies to existing local policy documents, creating smoke-free (child) environments, developing and improving access to smoking cessation care, and participating in media campaigns. Public health departments often specify tobacco control aims and involve partners in reaching these aims. However, the grant applications lacked information about implementing these tobacco control policies. CONCLUSIONS: The information on implementation strategies and process evaluation, as well as the (evidence-based) legitimation for the policy choices, needs improvement. Under the current conditions, which include the brief explanation the departments received, an unclear mandate, insufficient funding, and local restricting factors such as time and knowledge, significant contributions to tobacco control policy cannot be expected from local governments.

Source: Tobacco Prevention & Cessation

DOI: 10.18332/tpc/191844

Authors: Sophie J. A. Jooren, Jeroen Bommelé, Eefje Willemse, Maria W. J. Jansen, Marc C. Willemsen

Institutions: Maastricht University, Trimbos Institute, Care and Public Health Research Institute

Language: English

Topic: Smoking Behavior and Cessation

Subfield: Physiology

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

SDGs: Good health and well-being, Peace, justice, and strong institutions

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $1,617