Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34620669›Full record

ArticleBMJ open2021

Cigarette prices in eight sub-Saharan African countries in 2018: a cross-sectional analysis.

Kiara Chang, Emily Mayne, Anthony A Laverty, Israel Agaku, Filippos T Filippidis

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMJ open, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 8 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
8citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

8 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
  3. A Cross-Country Study of Cigarette Affordability and Single-Stick Purchases Using Survey Data From African Countries.Nicotine & tobacco research : official journal of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco · 2025
    Article
  4. Article
  5. Article
  6. Article
  7. Tobacco Vendors' Perceptions and Compliance with Tobacco Control Laws in Nigeria.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2023
    Article
  8. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Kiara ChangPublic Health Policy Evaluation Unit, Imperial College London, London, UK chu-mei.chang@imperial.ac.uk.ORCID 0000-0001-6716-3400
Emily MaynePublic Health Policy Evaluation Unit, Imperial College London, London, UK.
Anthony A LavertyPublic Health Policy Evaluation Unit, Imperial College London, London, UK.ORCID 0000-0003-1318-8439
Israel AgakuDepartment of Oral Health Policy and Epidemiology, Harvard School of Dental Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-5116-2961
Filippos T FilippidisPublic Health Policy Evaluation Unit, Imperial College London, London, UK.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveWhile the trend in smoking prevalence is decreasing worldwide, the number of male tobacco smokers is growing in Africa. This study compares the cigarette market in eight sub-Saharan African countries. This includes examining cigarette prices, pricing differentials, pack sizes and affordability at national and subnational levels. DESIGN AND

settingA cross-sectional data analysis using data from the Data on Alcohol and Tobacco in Africa (DATA) Project. The DATA Project was centrally coordinated by project supervisors following a standardised protocol. University students were recruited to conduct data collection and a total of 22 347 retail cigarette price data points collected between June and August 2018 were analysed (including Botswana, Ethiopia, Lesotho, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe). Prices were converted to US$ and standardised to the price of a 20-cigarette pack.

resultsThis research found large price differentials within provinces/states, with the gap between medium and minimum prices per 20-cigarette pack exceeding 50% of the medium price in 18 out of 24 provinces/states. Single cigarettes were widely available, especially in Lesotho and Ethiopia. Results of multivariable regression suggest prices (per 20-cigarette pack) were lower for cigarettes sold in packs than single sticks (-US$0.27, 95% CI: -US$0.39 to -US$0.23) and lower in less populated areas (-US$0.28 in rural compared with urban settings, 95% CI: -US$0.41 to -US$0.15). Availability of cheaper single cigarettes (lower per unit price than packed cigarettes) were identified for Lesotho and South Africa.

conclusionsThese findings identify a varied picture in cigarette pricing in studied countries and suggest measures to tackle pricing differentials and availability of single sticks are warranted. These measures should counteract the potential health consequences of the increasing penetration of tobacco industry in these sub-Saharan African countries.

Indexed as

TaxesTobacco ProductsBotswanaCommerceCross-Sectional StudiesHumansSouth Africahealth policypreventive medicinepublic health

Identifiers

PMID34620669
PMCPMC8499338

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.