Abstract :
Introduction: Piggybacking approach has been extensively used in almost every known field from physical
to virtual. In our day today life, we see it use in social networking sites such as Facebook, yahoo mail where
multiple applications are carried over/piggybacked on the existing basic connecting platform. In India, this
strategy is commonly used in Malaria control programme by distribution of Insecticide Treated Bed Nets
(ITNs) through antenatal care or during immunization campaigns for measles and polio. The advantage of
piggy backing approach is multi-faceted in terms of resources, time and effort.
Materials and Methods: We utilised this opportunity, to piggyback anti-tobacco campaign using health
education approaches on concurrent Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT) for assessing the effectiveness
of food safety training interventions among street food vendors. Data entry and analysis was done using
SPSS version 22.0 and descriptive statistics was used to define the numerical data.
Results: So far data of 40 street food vendors (intervention arm=20 and control arm=20) has been analysed.
In the intervention arm 11 (n=20) street food vendors were using tobacco in any form compared to 13 (n=20)
in the control group at baseline. None of vendors in both the arm had any knowledge regarding FSSAI Act
and COTPA at the baseline. 45% (n=9) in the intervention arm were washing hand after consuming any of
the tobacco products at first follow up compared to 10% (n=2) at baseline.
Conclusion: Piggybacking strategy can be used in public health programmes to augment one intervention
over another to achieve favourable public health outcome.
Keyword :
Anti-tobacco campaign, Food safety intervention, Piggy-backing, RCT