BACKGROUND: Tobacco industry interference (TII) remains a significant challenge to global health policies, undermining efforts to reduce tobacco-related morbidity and mortality. This study aims to examine whether socio-political and developmental factors, specifically the Human Development Index (HDI), Freedom Status (FS), and Social Institution and Gender Index (SIGI), are significantly associated with countries’ TII Index scores.
METHODS: We conducted a quantitative analysis using multiple linear regression models to assess the relationship between TII and several socio-economic and governance indicators, including HDI, FS, and SIGI. Other key indicators such as population size, adult smoking prevalence, health spending, FCTC ratification status, trade openness index, and foreign direct investment were controlled for to account for potential confounding factors. Statistical significance was assessed through p-values, and the strength of the relationships was evaluated using regression coefficients.
RESULTS: The analysis revealed a statistically significant correlation between SIGI and the TII Index. Specifically, lower SIGI scores, indicating reduced gender discrimination, are associated with lower levels of tobacco industry interference. This suggests that countries with more gender-equal social institutions tend to have more robust regulatory frameworks that resist tobacco industry influence, resulting in stronger public health policies. However, no significant relationship was found between TII and HDI or between TII and FS, indicating that human development and political freedom alone do not appear to influence tobacco industry interference in public health policies.
CONCLUSIONS: This study underscores the importance of gender equality in reducing tobacco industry interference in public health policy. Furthermore, the findings emphasize the need for gender-sensitive policies to strengthen tobacco control and mitigate industry interference, highlighting the role of social institutions in shaping public health outcomes.