Beneficios del impuesto a los cigarros en México: análisis por sexo y quintil de ingreso / Benefits of the cigarette tax in Mexico, by sex and income quintile / Benefícios do imposto sobre cigarros no México: análise por sexo e quintil de renda

RESUMEN Objetivo. Estimar los beneficios económicos y en salud, por sexo y por quintil de ingreso, del incremento de los precios de los cigarros mediante impuestos en México. Métodos. Con un modelo de costo-efectividad extendido (ECEA, por su sigla en inglés) se estimaron los beneficios distributivos en mujeres y hombres con un escenario de incremento del precio de los cigarros de 44% (de 56,4 pesos mexicanos [MX$] a MX$81,2 por cajetilla), como resultado de triplicar el impuesto específico actual (de MX$0,49/cigarro a MX$1,49/cigarro). El modelo se calibró con fuentes oficiales de información nacional Resultados. Con el incremento del impuesto de un peso por cigarro, cerca de 1,5 millones de fumadores abandonarían el consumo (351 300 mujeres y 1,1 millón de hombres). Así, se evitarían aproximadamente 630 000 muertes prematuras atribuibles al tabaco. La reducción de la carga de enfermedad permitiría ahorros para el sector salud cercanos a MX$42 800 millones y evitaría que más de 250 000 personas (entre ellas, 50 200 mujeres fumadoras) cayeran en situación de pobreza. Además, se recaudarían MX$16 200 millones adicionales por año, de los cuales el quintil más bajo aportaría menos de 3% (1% en el caso de las mujeres de menores ingresos). Conclusiones. La epidemia de tabaquismo tiene patrones claramente diferenciados entre mujeres y hombres y reflejan un componente de género. Si bien los beneficios del impuesto al tabaco en México tendrían magnitudes relativas al estado actual de la epidemia en cada caso, estos podrían contribuir a un objetivo más amplio de justicia social mediante la reducción de las inequidades de género.

ABSTRACT Objective. Estimate economic and health benefits, by sex and income quintile, of tax-based cigarette price increases in Mexico. Methods. An extended cost-effectiveness analysis (ECEA) model was used to estimate distributional benefits for women and men in the scenario of a 44% increase in the price of cigarettes (from 56.4 Mexican pesos [MX$] to MX$81.2 per pack), as a result of tripling the current specific excise tax (from MX$0.49/cigarette to MX$1.49/cigarette). The model was calibrated with official national information sources. Results. With a tax increase of one peso per cigarette, about 1.5 million smokers would quit (351 300 women and 1.1 million men). This would prevent approximately 630 000 smoking-attributable premature deaths. Reducing the burden of disease would save the health sector close to MX$42.8 billion and prevent more than 250 000 people (including 50 200 women smokers) from falling into poverty. It would also result in an additional MX$16.2 billion in revenue per year, of which the lowest income quintile would contribute less than 3% (1% for low-income women). Conclusions. The tobacco epidemic has clearly differentiated patterns between women and men, reflecting a gender component. While the tobacco tax in Mexico would have great benefits with respect to the current state of the epidemic, this could also contribute to the broader goal of social justice by reducing gender inequities.

RESUMO Objetivo. Estimar os benefícios econômicos e de saúde, por sexo e quintil de renda, do aumento dos preços dos cigarros por meio de impostos no México. Métodos. Com um modelo de análise ampliada de custo-efetividade (ECEA, na sigla em inglês), foram estimados os benefícios distributivos em mulheres e homens com um cenário de aumento de 44% no preço dos cigarros (de 56,4 pesos mexicanos [MX$] para MX$ 81,2 por maço), como resultado da triplicação do imposto específico atual (de MX$ 0,49/cigarro para MX$ 1,49/cigarro). O modelo foi calibrado com fontes oficiais de informação nacional. Resultados. Com o aumento do imposto de um MX$ por cigarro, cerca de 1,5 milhão de fumantes abandonariam o consumo (351.300 mulheres e 1,1 milhão de homens). Assim, seriam evitadas aproximadamente 630.000 mortes prematuras atribuíveis ao tabaco. A redução da carga de doenças permitiria uma economia para o setor da saúde de cerca de MX$ 42,8 bilhões e evitaria que mais de 250.000 pessoas (incluindo 50.200 mulheres fumantes) caíssem na pobreza. Além disso, seriam arrecadados MX$ 16,2 bilhões adicionais por ano, dos quais o quintil mais baixo contribuiria com menos de 3% (1% no caso de mulheres de baixa renda). Conclusões. A epidemia de tabagismo tem padrões claramente diferenciados entre mulheres e homens e reflete um componente de gênero. Embora os benefícios do imposto sobre o tabaco no México tenham importância relativa no atual estado da epidemia em cada caso, poderiam contribuir para um objetivo mais amplo de justiça social ao reduzir as desigualdades de gênero.

Performance of audio-assisted confidential voting interview for assessment of sexual behavior among young adults in Chandigarh Union Territory.

A cross-sectional study was conducted in Chandigarh Union Territory to evaluate the performance of an audio-assisted confidential voting interview (AVI), for assessing the sexual behavior among young adults aged 20 - 34 years. Using systematic random sampling 625 males and 630 females were interviewed alternately, either by AVI or by face-to-face interview (FFI). More men revealed having sex with men in AVI (2.6%) than FFI (0.6%) (P 0.06). Women reported having sex with non-regular partners more often in AVI (4.8%) compared to FFI (0.3%) (P < 0.001). AVI performed better than FFI for eliciting sensitive sexual behaviors.

Birth Preparedness and Complication Readiness among Slum Women in Indore City, India.

Three hundred twelve mothers of infants aged 2-4 months in 11 slums of Indore, India, were interviewed to assess birth preparedness and complication readiness (BPACR) among them. The mothers were asked whether they followed the desired four steps while pregnant: identified a trained birth attendant, identified a health facility, arranged for transport, and saved money for emergency. Taking at least three steps was considered being well-prepared. Taking two or less steps was considered being less-prepared. One hundred forty-nine mothers (47.8%) were well-prepared. Factors associated with well-preparedness were assessed using adjusted multivariate models. Factors associated with well-preparedness were maternal literacy [odds ratio (OR)=1.9, (95%) confidence interval (CI) 1.1-3.4] and availing of antenatal services (OR=1.7, CI 1.05- 2.8). Deliveries in the slum-home were high (56.4%). Among these, skilled attendance was low (7.4%); 77.3% of them were assisted by traditional birth attendants. Skilled attendance during delivery was three times higher in well-prepared mothers compared to less-prepared mothers (OR: 3.0, CI 1.6-5.4) Antenatal outreach sessions can be used for promoting BPACR. It will be important to increase the competency of slum-based traditional birth attendants, along with promoting institutional deliveries.

Human touch to detect hypothermia in neonates in indian slum dwellings.

Objective. To assess the validity of human touch (HT) method to measure hypothermia compared against axillary digital thermometry (ADT) and study association of hypothermia with poor suckle and underweight status in newborns and environmental temperature in 11 slums of Indore city, India. Methods. Field supervisors of slum-based health volunteers measured body temperature of 152 newborns by HT and ADT, observed suckling and weighed newborns. Underweight status was determined using WHO growth standards. Results. Hypothermia prevalence (axillary temperature <36.5oC) was 30.9%. Prevalence varied by season but insignificantly. Hypothermia was insignificantly associated with poor suckle (31% vs 19.7%, p=0.21) and undernutrition (33.3% vs 25.3%, p=0.4). HT had moderate diagnostic accuracy when compared with ADT (kappa: 0.38, sensitivity: 74.5%, specificity: 68.5%). Conclusions. HT emerged simpler and programmatically feasible. There is a need to examine whether trained and supervised community-based health workers and mothers can use HT accurately to identify and manage hypothermia and other simple signs of newborn illness using minimal algorithm at home and more confidently refer such newborns to proximal facilities linked to the program to ensure prompt management of illness.