Method for Observing SMOKing and vaping bEhaviours (MOSMOKE): development and validation of a systematic observation...

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Behavioral Science
• Environmental Health

Background:

• Policies to reduce public smoking are increasing, yet understanding location-specific influences is limited.
• Systematic observation offers an unbiased method for assessing behaviors in real-world settings, overcoming self-report limitations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate MOSMOKE (Method for Observing SMOKing and vaping bEhaviours), a novel tool for quantifying smoking and vaping in public spaces.
• To assess the reliability and criterion-related validity of the MOSMOKE tool.

Main Methods:

• MOSMOKE was adapted from an existing behavioral observation tool and refined through piloting.
• Inter-rater reliability for smoking, vaping, and age group classification was analyzed using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs).
• Criterion-related validity was assessed through 32 hours of observation across four sites varying in smoking bin availability and proximity to office blocks.

Main Results:

• High inter-rater reliability was achieved for both smoking (ICCs > 0.75) and vaping behaviors (ICCs > 0.75).
• Observed smoking prevalence was significantly higher near smoking bins (p=0.02) and office entrances (p=0.006), supporting the tool's validity.
• Results align with hypotheses, demonstrating MOSMOKE's ability to detect context-specific behavioral patterns.

Conclusions:

• MOSMOKE is a reliable and valid instrument for the unobtrusive assessment of smoking and vaping in public environments.
• The tool can effectively inform the evaluation of policies and interventions targeting tobacco and vaping behaviors in specific contexts.
• MOSMOKE is freely available with a supporting manual to facilitate its widespread adoption.