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MAURITIUS PICTORIAL HEALTH WARNINGS. Mrs Vinoda Pitchamootoo Vythelingam Focal Point for Tobacco Control Health Information Education and Communication Officer Ministry of Health and Quality of Life Mauritius. Situation Analysis.
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MAURITIUS PICTORIAL HEALTH WARNINGS Mrs Vinoda Pitchamootoo Vythelingam Focal Point for Tobacco Control Health Information Education and Communication Officer Ministry of Health and Quality of Life Mauritius
Situation Analysis • High prevalence of NCDs (diabetes, hypertension and cardiovascular diseases • 50% death due to heart diseases • High prevalence of male adult smoking: 40% • High prevalence of youth smoking (13-15 yrs) : 13.7% • High exposure to tobacco smoke: 45.6%
Health warning on package of cigarette (PHA 1999) • One text-based message: “GOVERNMENT WARNING: Smoking causes cancer, heart disease and bronchitis’ • side of the pack • No requirement regarding font, background, colour , etc • Warning : NOT NOTICEABLE (blending background)
Topics retained • Addiction • Heart disease • Lung cancer • Mouth cancer • Stroke • Second hand smoke • Impotence • Death
Total area to be covered by phw • Front display area : 60% Back display area: 70% 2 side text messages ‘Le tabac tue’ ‘Tobacco kills’ Total surface area: 65% • Language: English & French
Steps in developing pictorial health warnings • Contracted specialised advertising agency • NOT AFFILIATION WITH THE TOBACCO INDUSTRY Tasks: • conception and design of health warnings • Technical input from Ministry of Health • Arrange for taking of photographs (Health system) • Resizing of the health warnings (package)
Issues • Be culture sensitive • Secure written consent of people which appeared in the PHWs • In case of children under the age of 18 yrs, consents of both parents are needed • Ownership of the photographs • Proper coordination between the Ministry and the State Law Office
Pre-testing of health warnings • Pre-testing by the Ministry of Health • (targeted audience, scientific approach) • Bring necessary amendments to the PHWs • 2nd pre-testing exercise • Finalise the health warnings • Approval of Ministry of Health
Promulgation of the FCTC-compliant legislation • Prescribed the text messages • Prescribed the pictorial health messages • Surface to be occupied • Evenly distributed in tobacco consignment when imported* • Template as approved by the Minister • Date of enforcement • Phase out period*
Evaluation of PHWs International Tobacco Control (ITC) Mauritius National Reports • Pre-wave 1: (before implementation of phw) : Text-only warning : limited effectiveness • Wave 2: Dramatic increases in smokers’ awareness of health warnings (10-11 mths post-implementation) • Wave 3: DECLINE IN EFFECTIVENESS (20-21 mths post–implementation) NEED TO RENEW PHW (>24 mths)