Impact of New Zealand's Smokefree Law on Quitline Calls
Author Information
Author(s): Wilson Nick, Sertsou Gabriel, Edwards Richard, Thomson George, Grigg Michele, Li Judy
Primary Institution: Department of Public Health, Otago University
Hypothesis
Did the new smokefree law increase calls to the Quitline?
Conclusion
The new national smokefree law resulted in increased quitting-related behaviour.
Supporting Evidence
- The law change led to a significant increase in Quitline caller registrations.
- The increase in Quitline calls was observed even with reduced advertising expenditure.
- Previous studies indicated that smokefree laws can influence quitting behaviour.
Takeaway
When New Zealand made all indoor workplaces smokefree, more people called the Quitline to get help quitting smoking.
Methodology
Data were collected on Quitline caller registrations and NRT voucher issues for 24 months before and 12 months after the law, analyzed using a Box-Jenkins transfer function model.
Limitations
The study did not adjust for varying effects of different smoking cessation advertisements and lacked precise data for advertisement weightings.
Participant Demographics
The proportion of calls from Mâori was slightly lower after the law change compared to previous periods.
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.025
Confidence Interval
95%CI = 0.92 – 0.99
Statistical Significance
p = 0.025
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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