title: Municipal tobacco control in the Capital Region of Denmark can be improved.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Smoking remains the single preventable factor with the highest impact on morbidity and mortality in Denmark. The aims of this study were to assess the quality of municipal tobacco control (TC) in the 29 municipalities of the Capital Region of Denmark, and to compare the quality of the TC and the priority given to TC with the prevalence of daily smoking across municipalities.
  
  
  METHODS
  In March 2012 a questionnaire regarding municipal TC was sent to the 29 municipalities of the Region. The response rate was 100%. Data were merged with information from the Health Survey under-taken in the Capital Region in 2010 which included 49,806 respondents. We assessed the quality of TC using two measures: self-reported priority (scale 1-10) and calculated quality score (scale 0-70), and compared these measures with the prevalence of daily smoking two years before.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were large differences in TC between the municipalities of the region. A high smoking prevalence in 2010 was significantly associated with a high priority given to TC in 2012 (p=0.03). The mean priority of TC was 7.1 (range 3-10) and the mean quality score was 37.1 (range 17-55). Smoking cessation services and prevention of second-hand smoking exposure seem to be the main areas of focus, while several at-risk groups were given a low priority.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In some municipalities, TC seems to be neglected, while others have achieved high standards. We call for major improvements in TC in the majority of municipalities.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  The trial was funded by the Capital Region of Denmark (Region Hovedstaden) and the Health Foundation (Helsefonden).
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Not relevant.
authors: Research Centre for Prevention and Health, Capital Region of Denmark, Glostrup Hospital, Bygning 84/85, 2600 Glostrup. charlotta.pisinger@regionh.dk
authors: Charlotta
authors: C
authors: Pisinger
authors: Kirstine Magtengaard
authors: KM
authors: Robinson
authors: Torben
authors: T
authors: Jørgensen
authors: Charlotte
authors: C
authors: Glümer
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002947:Cities / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D003718:Denmark / Q000453:epidemiology; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D006292:Health Priorities; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D015995:Prevalence; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D016540:Smoking Cessation; D000074606:Smoking Prevention; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution
chemical_list: D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution