Title
Impact of smokefree legislation in England on individuals and communities: qualitative longitudinal study
Principal investigators
Platt S, Amos A, Godfrey C, Martin C, Ritchie D, White M
Funder(s)
Department of Health
Timescale
2007 - 2008
Aim(s)/objective(s)/ research questions
To examine the behavioural, social and cultural impact of smoke-free legislation in contrasting communities.
Research questions
- What are the perceptions and understandings of smokers, non-smokers (ex-smokers and never-smokers) and key stakeholders of the likely impact of the smoking ban on everyday life, working life and community life?
- To what extent and how do these groups seek to anticipate, and accommodate to, the impending smoking ban?
- Are there changes over time in perceptions, attitudes and behaviours relating to smoking and to the smoking ban?
- To what extent are there differential effects linked to key features of local communities (location, SES, smoking prevalence) and key individual characteristics (gender, age, ethnicity)?
- To what extent, and in what ways, are the behavioural and attitudinal impacts of the legislation in England comparable to those observed for Scotland?
Design/methods
By means of a multi-level (nested) longitudinal case study approach, data will be collected at individual- and community-level in six contrasting local areas in/near two major urban centres in England. A range of qualitative and ethnographic techniques will be used, including: in-depth, repeat interviews with a purposively recruited panel of informants; group discussions with target populations of particular interest; key informant interviews; and observations in a range of public places.
Current status of project
In the field.
