Maximising the benefits of smokefree prisons
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Staying smokefree: Maximising the public health benefits of smokefree prisons
IRAS ID
312134
Contact name
Kate Hunt
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Stirling
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
7611, Research Registry
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 11 months, 31 days
Research summary
People in prison (prisoners) are more likely to have poor health than other people. Part of the reason for this was high rates of smoking before a ‘smoking ban’ was put in place in prisons. The ban is meant to protect the health of staff and people in prisons. Help is available to make it easier for people in prison to manage without tobacco. This includes being able to buy e-cigarettes and get free help from prison stop smoking services.
In Scotland, in the Tobacco in Prisons study (TIPs for short), we did the biggest study of smoke-free prisons, to find out what people in prison and staff think about the smoking ban, and how it affects people’s health and their living or working conditions. Now we want to build on TIPs, to see what happens when people leave prison and to see what their families think about the ban. We also want to see if families of people in prison would like help and support to give up or cut down on smoking or to make their home smoke-free.
There are five parts to the new study. This application relates to only ONE part of the study ('workpackage 3'). Separate applications will be submitted for the other parts of the study as relevant.
In the part of the study related to this application, we want to talk to people in prison to hear how they are managing without tobacco and what they think they will do about smoking and vaping after they leave a smoke-free prison. We want to also talk to people after they leave prison or come back into prison.
We will work closely with key partners. That way we can make sure that anything we find has taken account of all of their opinions and experiences.
REC name
North of Scotland Research Ethics Committee 2
REC reference
22/NS/0046
Date of REC Opinion
18 Apr 2022
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion