Building capacity for tobacco control research and policy

Area of Science:

• Global Health
• Public Health Policy
• Tobacco Control Research

Background:

• Low- and middle-income countries face escalating tobacco use epidemics.
• Many nations are signatories to the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC).
• Capacity development is crucial for implementing FCTC provisions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the Fogarty International Center's "International Tobacco and Health Research Capacity Building Program."
• To outline the program's approach, research focus, outcomes, and challenges.
• To detail capacity building efforts in China, Brazil, and Mexico.

Main Methods:

• Grant funding provided by the Fogarty International Center (FIC) to the Institute for Global Tobacco Control (IGTC).
• Focus on building evidence base, expanding tobacco control infrastructure, and developing future leaders.
• Encouraging national and international networking among tobacco control professionals.

Main Results:

• The initiative supported research and capacity building in China, Brazil, and Mexico.
• Efforts were made to strengthen the evidence base for tobacco control.
• Infrastructure for tobacco control delivery was expanded, and leadership development was fostered.

Conclusions:

• The FIC initiative represents a significant US government investment in global tobacco control.
• Capacity building is essential for addressing the tobacco epidemic in low- and middle-income countries.
• Further research papers will provide in-depth results from the program's studies.