Mapping Tobacco Harm: How Community-Led Data Collection Can Drive Public Health Policy

How can mobile data collection apps help drive public health outcomes? In a recent study, researchers at The Ohio State University used Poket’s customizable survey platform to power a citizen-driven data collection initiative focused on tobacco harm. University students were invited to capture and upload photos of tobacco-related elements in their surroundings—from advertising and litter to retail locations. By turning everyday observations into crowdsourced, geo-tagged data, the project helped visualize the tobacco industry’s footprint on campus and beyond. It’s a compelling example of how community-led data collection and self-reported data can raise awareness, shift attitudes, and support policy change.

The Context: The Hidden Influence of Tobacco Retailers

The Tobacco Retail Environment (TRE) plays a significant role in shaping tobacco use behaviors. High concentrations of tobacco retailers, pervasive signage, and litter might appear unimportant—but they’re proven to increase tobacco use and reduce cessation success, particularly in underserved areas. Policy tools like Tobacco Retailer Licensing (TRLs) can reduce retail density, but adoption has been slow—largely due to a lack of public engagement and data visibility at the community level. That’s where Poket comes in.

The Method: A Crowdsourced, Community-Led Approach

Researchers at Ohio State led a three-week photo-mapping initiative using Poket. Students used our field survey software to submit photos of tobacco litter and retailers, geotag and map tobacco-related insights submissions in real time, and view other participants’ entries on a shared community dashboard. Poket’s offline data collection and incentivized survey features made participation easy and engaging. Even in areas with limited connectivity, students could still collect data and upload it when back online—eliminating typical access barriers. The project turned passive observation into active engagement—powered by Poket’s flexible, citizen-generated data collection solution. 

The Results: Behavior Change Through Data

At the end of the campaign, students completed follow-up surveys to assess any shifts in perception. Here’s what changed: increased awareness of tobacco advertising and litter, stronger anti-industry attitudes, and more support for outdoor tobacco-free campus policies. Students who submitted the most photos were more likely to believe there were too many tobacco retailers in their community. Participants also found the experience enjoyable and manageable—proving that when you give communities the right tools, data collection becomes an act of empowerment.

The Power of Feedback Loops

Unlike traditional extractive survey tools, Poket fosters community-led monitoring by offering live feedback loops through dashboards and maps. These visual tools allow participants to see the full scope of their community’s data—enhancing transparency, motivation, and connection. It’s not just about gathering data—it’s about making it visible and actionable to them, in real time.

Scalable, Customizable, and Built for Impact

This project highlights what we at Poket believe deeply: real change starts when communities can generate and access their own data. Whether you're in public health, agriculture, financial inclusion, or environmental justice, Poket can support self-reported data collection, last-mile intelligence, offline survey functionality, customizable mobile forms, crowdsourced, geolocated mapping, and monitoring and evaluation (M&E) projects.

Want to Explore This Use Case?

This project was recently published in the Journal of Community Health under the title Community Awareness-Raising to Support Tobacco Policy. We're proud to have powered the data collection behind this impactful work. Interested in launching your own community-led data collection project? Let’s talk.