1. ITC Project New Zealand: Status Report Chris Bullen on behalf of the NZ ITC Project Team

2. Unique features Linkage to NZ Health Survey –Face-to-face interviews re. health status & health services –Smokers invited to be re-contacted by phone –30-45 minute call by RMR Large Māori sample –15% of NZers, high smoking prevalence, high RYO use

3. Linkage to NZ Health Survey Potential advantages –Shared expertise and collaboration with Ministry of Health –Improved and more cost-effective recruitment –Information on non-responders –Data linkage allows additional analyses in NZ arm e.g. linking change in beliefs and behaviours to: Household composition & socio-economic status Physical and mental health (including presence of smoking-related conditions) Health of children in the household Alcohol use Health care utilisation Experience of racism and discrimination

4. Large Māori sample Estimated 40%+ of cohort will be Māori –Allows separate analysis of Māori sample –Opportunity to address issues of specific interest to Māori eg: Cultural influences on attitudes to and impact of policies Reasons for increased use of RYO tobacco Influence of family on quitting behaviour –Unique findings internationally as other ITC arms have only small numbers of indigenous peoples

5. Current situation Wave 1 data collection completed. Undergoing quality checks and weighting Wave 2 data collection starts March 2008 Complete linkage with all the NZ Health Survey data by September 2008 Despite incentives ($20 store vouchers), suboptimal (65%) response rate to Wave 1 Submitted cigarettes to the Repository

6. Outputs to date Review article NZMJ (in press). Cigarette butt study, N&TR (in press) & poster at this meeting Pack colour study (Report on Igloo), submitted to N&TR, poster at this meeting Research letters in NZMJ (n=3) 5 posters at International Conferences Collaboration on warnings labels work with Ron Borland et al

7. Priorities for 2008 Analyse data and produce outputs: Methods report Priority topic areas: –Light/mild (current enquiry in NZ) –Point-of-sale (policy development) –New graphic warnings (appearing now) –Smoking cessation (new NZ cessation guidelines and Ministry funding) –Tobacco tax / use of RYOs

8. Challenges: Minimising attrition in Wave 2 & 3 in a setting with a heavy burden of commercial marketing telephone surveys – ideas welcomed. What are the pros/cons of continuing as a “control country” if shift in political direction late 2008 (unlikely to favour new tobacco control policy changes) occurs? We are keen to get your views Email: c.bullen@ctru.auckland.ac.nzc.bullen@ctru.auckland.ac.nz

9. Project Team Nick Wilson (PI), Tony Blakely, George Thomson, Richard Edwards, Jo Peace. University of Otago, Wellington Chris Bullen, Hayden McRobbie. Clinical Trials Research Unit, University of Auckland Ron Borland. VicHealth Centre for Tobacco Control, Cancer Council Victoria, Australia Sharon Ponniah. Ministry of Health Heather Gifford. Whakauae Research Services, Whanganui Judy Li, Quit Group, Wellington (PhD student)

10. Funders and acknowledgements Health Research Council (funds for 2007-2009) Ministry of Health (Public Health Intelligence) – data sharing & support Advisory Group in NZ Other ITC Project teams (Australia, Canada, UK, US)