Mobile communication tools for the reduction of secondhand smoke in public places: Russian public health programs using mHealth

Abstract

According to the Russian Public Opinion Research Center (WCIOM)i, 35% of Russian adults reported smoking in 2014, twice the amount of smokers in the United States in 2013, according to the CDC" and 385,000 people each year die from tobacco-related illnessesiii. The key focus of this paper is to share the experience and lessons learnt from the implementation of mobile tools to control and prevent tobacco use and enforce tobacco legislation in Russia. Smartphone applications and SMS programs have been widely discussed in terms of smoking cessationiv. Less attention, however, has been paid to the use of mobile communication channels to increase smoke-free public places. This paper will describe two new national initiatives: Smokefree Russia, which uses a mobile application to inform individuals and business/property owners about details of new anti-smoking legislation in Russia, as well as an interactive map providing a platform for volunteer community involvement in encouraging compliance with the legislation. This initiative is accompanied by other initiatives of the implementing organization, the Health and Development Foundation, to address smoking through mHealth tools, including an mCessation text-message program, QuitTogether. The details of these programs are provided, as well as implementation challenges and initial monitoring and evaluation data.