Almost a fifth of the world’s tobacco is consumed in smokeless form. Its consumption is particularly common in South Asia, where an increasing array of smokeless tobacco (SLT) products is widely available. Mindful of the growing public health threat from SLT, a group of international academics and policy makers recently gathered to identify policy and

Exposure to second-hand smoke is a threat to children’s health. We developed a school-based smoke-free intervention (SFI) to support families in implementing smoke-free homes in Bangladesh, and gathered preliminary evidence of its effectiveness. To read the article, please download the PDF. PDF Version 

Most South Asian countries are signatories to the WHO Framework Convention for Tobacco Control (FCTC). However, there is little information on the extent to which FCTC standards are effectively implemented for controlling smokeless tobacco (SLT)—used by over 250 million people in the region. We assessed the feasibility of a novel approach based on interviewing the

Exposure to secondhand smoke (SHS) increases children’s risk of acquiring chest and ear infections, tuberculosis, meningitis and asthma. Smoking bans in public places (where implemented) have significantly reduced adults’ exposure to SHS. However, for children, homes remain the most likely place for them to be exposed to SHS. Additional measures are therefore required to protect

Community health care providers (CHCPs) in 40 rural community clinics of Comilla district, Bangladesh, were trained using a newly developed case-management job aid based on the World Health Organization Integrated Management of Childhood Illness and a communication guide. To read the whole article, please download the PDF. PDF Version 

Our research shows that there can be substantial benefits to healthcare provision if countries develop tailored materials and training packages for lower-level health workers. Regular refresher training for community health care providers, specially-adapted job aids and help to improve communication skills are among the key recommendations from our study. PDF Version  | HTML Version 

We report on second-hand smoke (SHS) exposure based on saliva cotinine levels among children in Bangladesh—a country with laws against smoking in public places. To read the article, please download the PDF. PDF Version 

Tuberculosis (TB) remains a significant public health problem in South Asia. Tobacco use increases the risks of TB infection and TB progression. The TB& Tobacco placebo-controlled randomised trial aims to (1) assess the effectiveness of the tobacco cessation medication cytisine versus placebo when combined with behavioural support and (2) implement tobacco cessation medication and behavioural

Children exposed to secondhand smoke (SHS) are at increased risk of respiratory illnesses. We piloted a Smoke Free Intervention (SFI) and trial methods before investigating its effectiveness and cost-effectiveness in primary school children. To read the article, choose one of the following buttons below. PDF Version  | HTML Version 

In a world of changing disease burdens, poor quality care and constrained health budgets, finding effective approaches to developing and implementing evidence-based health services is crucial. Much has been published on developing service tools and protocols, operational research and getting policy into practice but these are often undertaken in isolation from one another. This paper,