Surveillance
Surveillance is systematic ongoing collection, collation and analysis of data and the timely dissemination of information to those who need to know so that action can be taken.
Tobacco control surveillance includes prevalence of tobacco use, its health and economic consequences, its socio-cultural determinants and tobacco control policy responses and tobacco industry activities.
It is important to have an effective and sustained surveillance system to monitor the tobacco epidemic and evaluate the impact of tobacco control interventions. Empirical evidence shows that the most successful national tobacco control policies are supported by an effective surveillance and evaluation system.
Article 20 of the WHO FCTC addresses surveillance as follows:
"...2. The Parties shall establish, as appropriate, programmes for national, regional and global surveillance of the magnitude, patterns, determinants and consequences of tobacco consumption and exposure to tobacco smoke. Towards this end, the Parties should integrate tobacco surveillance programmes into national, regional and global health surveillance programmes so that data are comparable and can be analysed at the regional and international levels, as appropriate."
Further, Article 21 on Reporting and exchange of information, requires that Parties submit
"...periodic reports on its implementation of this Convention, which should include...information on surveillance and research as specified in Article 20."
Through its surveillance mechanisms, TFI monitors and evaluates international tobacco-related issues by reviewing:
- structural elements (existence of task forces, commissions, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs);
- process developments (laws and regulations, economics, behaviour, exposure, advocacy)
- outcomes, through epidemiological data (prevalence, morbidity, mortality) and
- tobacco industry activities.