Professor Janet Hoek, Our people, University of Otago, Wellington, University of Otago, New Zealand

Professor Janet Hoek thumbnail BA(Hons - first class), MA(Distinction), Dip.Bis.Admin(Distinction), PhD

Co-Director ASPIRE2025

Contact Details
Research Interests and Activities
Publications

Contact Details

Tel: +64 3 479 7692
Email: janet.hoek@otago.ac.nz

Research Interests and Activities

Janet’s first degrees were in English Literature and she also studied Botany, Zoology, Microbiology, and French. Her Honours research examined nineteenth century poetry and she explored irony Beowulf, a very early medieval poem, in her Masterate thesis. She later completed a post-graduate diploma in marketing and her PhD examined question wording effects in surveys. Janet’s is co-Director of ASPIRE 2025, a University of Otago Research Theme whose members undertake research supporting the Government’s smokefree 2025 goal.

Janet has led several Health Research Council projects. Her work has examined plain (or standardised) packaging and tobacco branding, and informed policy in New Zealand and internationally; a subsequent study project examined novel on-pack tobacco warnings. She led a feasibility study assessing ‘smart’ e-cigarettes and is currently project examining how to encourage full transition from smoking to e-cigarettes among smokers while deterring uptake among non-smokers. Janet has been an AI on HRC-funded obesity studies, including a novel project – Kids’ Cam – that examines food marketing in children’s environments.

Along with several public health colleagues and key external partners, Janet has just received funding for an HRC programme: Whakahā o Te Pā Harakeke (Realising the vision for a smokefree future), and a further project, which will examine interventions to promote and support cessation among RYO users. Janet has also received funding from the Royal Society Marsden Fund; she led a project that critically evaluated tobacco industry arguments framing smoking as an “informed choice”. Janet is currently leading a second Marsden study probing identity shifts as smokers adopt vaping and potentially become both smoke- and vape-free.

Janet has been a member of several NGO and government advisory groups, provided evidence to government and Select Committees, and was a member of an Australian government expert advisory group overseeing the introduction of plain packaging. She has sat on several research grant and selection committees, as well as strategy development and policy groups. She was Deputy Chair of the 2018 PBRF Business and Economics panel.

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Publications

Haggart, K., Hoek, J., & Blank, M.-L. (2020). Flavour capsule variants' performance in a "dark market": Implications for standardised packaging. Nicotine & Tobacco Research, 22(5), 853-856. doi: 10.1093/ntr/nty158

Gendall, P., Hoek, J., & Gendall, K. (2018). Evaluating the emotional impact of warning images on young adult smokers and susceptible non-smokers. Journal of Health Communication, 23(3), 291-298. doi: 10.1080/10810730.2018.1440332

Robertson, L., Hoek, J., Blank, M.-L., Richards, R., Ling, P., & Popova, L. (2019). Dual use of electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) and smoked tobacco: A qualitative analysis. Tobacco Control, 28(1), 13-19. doi: 10.1136/tobaccocontrol-2017-054070

Blank, M.-L., Hoek, J., George, M., Gendall, P., Conner, T. S., Thrul, J., … Langlotz, T. (2019). An exploration of smoking-to-vaping transition attempts using a "smart" electronic nicotine delivery system. Nicotine & Tobacco Research, 21(10), 1339-1346. doi: 10.1093/ntr/nty093

Gendall, P., Eckert, C., Hoek, J., & Louviere, J. (2018). Estimating the effects of novel on-pack warnings on young adult smokers and susceptible non-smokers. Tobacco Control, 27(5), 519-525. doi: 10.1136/tobaccocontrol-2017-053719

Journal - Research Other

Journal - Research Article

Gray, R. J., Hoek, J., & Edwards, R. (2016). A qualitative analysis of 'informed choice' among young adult smokers. Tobacco Control, 25, 46-51. doi: 10.1136/tobaccocontrol-2014-051793

Journal - Research Article

Gendall, P., Hoek, J., Thomson, G., Edwards, R., Pene, G., Gifford, H., … McCool, J. (2011). Young adults' interpretations of tobacco brands: Implications for tobacco control. Nicotine & Tobacco Research, 13(10), 911-918. doi: 10.1093/ntr/ntr094

Journal - Research Article

Hoek, J., Gifford, H., Pirikahu, G., Thomson, G., & Edwards, R. (2010). How do tobacco retail displays affect cessation attempts? Findings from a qualitative study. Tobacco Control, 19(4), 334-337. doi: 10.1136/tc.2009.031203

Journal - Research Article

Burton, S., Hoek, J., Nesbit, P., & Khan, A. (2015). “Smoking is bad, it's not cool…yet I'm still doing it”: Cues for tobacco consumption in a ‘dark’ market. Journal of Business Research, 68(10), 2067-2074. doi: 10.1016/j.jbusres.2015.03.004

Journal - Research Article

Wan, X., Ma, S., Hoek, J., Yang, J., Wu, L., Zhou, J., & Yang, G. (2012). Conflict of interest and FCTC implementation in China. Tobacco Control, 21, 412-415. doi: 10.1136/tc.2010.041327

Journal - Research Article

Healey, B., Hoek, J., Wilson, N., Thomson, G., Taylor, S., & Edwards, R. (2015). Youth exposure to in-vehicle second-hand smoke and their smoking behaviours: Trends and associations in repeated national surveys (2006-2012). Tobacco Control, 24(2), 146-152. doi: 10.1136/tobaccocontrol-2013-051124

Journal - Research Article

Maubach, N., Hoek, J. A., Edwards, R., Gifford, H., Erick, S., & Newcombe, R. (2013). 'The times are changing': New Zealand smokers' perceptions of the tobacco endgame. Tobacco Control, 22(6), 395-400. doi: 10.1136/tobaccocontrol-2011-050398

Journal - Research Article

Hoek, J., Wilson, N., Allen, M., Edwards, R., Thomson, G., & Li, J. (2010). Lessons from New Zealand's introduction of pictorial health warnings on tobacco packaging. Bulletin of the World Health Organization, 88(11), 861-866. doi: 10.2471/BLT.10.076695

Journal - Research Article

Wilson, N., Weerasekera, D., Hoek, J., Li, J., & Edwards, R. (2010). Increased smoker recognition of a national quitline number following introduction of improved pack warnings: ITC Project New Zealand. Nicotine & Tobacco Research, 12(Suppl. 1), S72-S77. doi: 10.1093/ntr/ntq092

Journal - Research Article

Hoek, J. A., Hoek-Sims, A., & Gendall, P. (2013). A qualitative exploration of young adult smokers' responses to novel tobacco warnings. BMC Public Health, 13, 609. doi: 10.1186/1471-2458-13-609

Journal - Research Article

Whyte, G., Gendall, P., & Hoek, J. (2014). Advancing the retail endgame: Public perceptions of retail policy interventions. Tobacco Control, 23, 160-166. doi: 10.1136/tobaccocontrol-2013-051065

Journal - Research Article

Healey, B., Hoek, J., & Edwards, R. (2014). Posting behaviour patterns in an online smoking cessation social network: Implications for intervention design and development. PLoS ONE, 9(9), e106603. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0106603

Journal - Research Article

Jaine, R., Healey, B., Edwards, R., & Hoek, J. (2015). How adolescents view the tobacco endgame and tobacco control measures: Trends and associations in support among 14-15 year olds. Tobacco Control, 24(5), 449-454. doi: 10.1136/tobaccocontrol-2013-051440

Journal - Research Article

Gendall, P., Hoek, J., Edwards, R., & McCool, J. (2012). A cross-sectional analysis of how young adults perceive tobacco brands: Implications for FCTC signatories. BMC Public Health, 12, 796. doi: 10.1186/1471-2458-12-796

Journal - Research Article

McCool, J., Webb, L., Cameron, L. D., & Hoek, J. (2012). Graphic warning labels on plain cigarette packs: Will they make a difference to adolescents? Social Science & Medicine, 74(8), 1269-1273. doi: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2011.12.043

Journal - Research Article

Hoek, J., & Dewhirst, T. (2012). The meaning of "light" and "ultralight" cigarettes: A Commentary on Smith, Stutts, and Zank. Journal of Public Policy & Marketing, 31(2), 223-231. doi: 10.1509/jppm.11.142

Journal - Research Article

McCool, J., Hoek, J., Edwards, R., Thomson, G., & Gifford, H. (2013). Crossing the smoking divide for young adults: Expressions of stigma and identity among smokers and nonsmokers. Nicotine & Tobacco Research, 15(2), 552-556. doi: 10.1093/ntr/nts136

Journal - Research Article

Maubach, N., Hoek, J., & Mather, D. (2014). Interpretive front-of-pack nutrition labels: Comparing competing recommendations. Appetite, 82, 67-77. doi: 10.1016/j.appet.2014.07.006

Journal - Research Article

Gendall, P., Hoek, J., Marsh, L., Edwards, R., & Healey, B. (2014). Youth tobacco access: Trends and policy implications. BMJ Open, 4(4), e004631. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2013-004631

Journal - Research Article

McLean, R., Hoek, J., & Hedderley, D. (2012). Effects of alternative label formats on choice of high- and low-sodium products in a New Zealand population sample. Public Health Nutrition, 15(5), 783-791. doi: 10.1017/s1368980011003508

Journal - Research Article

Robertson, L., McGee, R., Marsh, L., & Hoek, J. (2015). A systematic review on the impact of point-of-sale tobacco promotion on smoking. Nicotine & Tobacco Research, 17(1), 2-17. doi: 10.1093/ntr/ntu168

Journal - Research Article

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