Tobacco and nicotine control policy implementation survey in the Russian regions: EPOHA-RF 2

Abstract

Aim. To describe the methods used to assess the implementation of new national tobacco and nicotine control policies in the regions of the Russian Federation (EPOHA-RF 2).Material and methods. An online survey sample was designed to include a minimum of 1000 respondents in each region, including current smokers and/or users of electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) and former smokers and/or users of ENDS who quit within the past 3 years (800:200 ratio). Participants were aged 15 and older and resided in 12 regions of the Russian Federation. The sample was collected using the river sampling method and was quota-based by sex, age, and settlement type using 2022 Rosstat data. Weighting coefficients were calibrated against control indicators from nationally representative Rosstat surveys. Data were collected in 2023 using a questionnaire programmed on an online platform for self-completion by respondents. The questionnaire included 74 measurable parameters aligned with the anti-tobacco law.Results. The total sample size across the 12 regions was 12662 individuals as follows: Moscow (n=1094), St. Petersburg (n=1041), Chuvash Republic (n=1046), Krasnodar Territory (n=1047), Primorsky Territory (n=1062), Arkhangelsk Region (n=1042), Astrakhan Region (n=1077), Belgorod Region (n=1048), Novosibirsk Region (n=1030), Orenburg Region (n=1042), Samara Region (n=1071), and Tyumen Region (n=1062). The distribution of respondents within each region corresponded to the age, sex, and settlement type distribution of smokers/ENDS users reported by Rosstat. The data collected from the survey underwent a weighting procedure. A database was created in MS Excel format based on the respondents' answers.Conclusion. The structure and data collection methods used to assess the implementation of national tobacco control policies in 12 Russian Federation regions provide results that are highly representative of the opinions of current and former smoker/ENDS users across all age and sex groups in urban and rural areas regarding the implementation of tobacco and nicotine control policies in the Russian Federation.

Keywords

• smoking
• electronic nicotine delivery systems
• nicotine-containing products
• tobacco control policy
• research methods
• population survey
• in-line sampling
• "river sampling"