Epidemiological correlates of tobacco consumption among women in reproductive age group- a community based cross sectional study in the rural area of Belgaum District, Karnataka, South India

Abstract

INTRODUCTION "Tobacco" appears as old as human civilization. Tobacco use is world's number one killer and it kills up to half of its regular users. It is claiming the lives of nearly 5.4 million people a year worldwide. 1 Burden in South East Asia region is one of the highest among WHO regions. Estimated number of tobacco users in India is 274.9 million with a lot of regional variation. 2 In India, each year nine lakh people die due to tobacco related diseases ABSTRACT Background: Tobacco kills both men and women but sex-specific differences exist. The disease burden, health care costs as well as other social losses resulting from premature deaths attributable to tobacco consumption are rapidly increasing not only in men but even among children, teenagers, women of reproductive age group. The use of multiple forms of tobacco in India complicates the efforts to reduce its overall impact on public health. This study was done to know the socio demographic correlates of tobacco consumption among the rural women in the reproductive age group. Methods: A community based cross sectional study, conducted from January 2011 to December 2011 among 1200 rural women aged between 15 years to 49 years residing in Primary Health Centre (PHC) Vantmuri area, Belgaum, Karnataka, India. Statistical analysis was done using rates, ratios and chi square tests. Results: Tobacco consumption was seen in 9.7% of the study participants. Amongst the users, tobacco consumption was more i.e. 38 (19.3%) in women belonging to the older age group of 45 to 49 years. A very high prevalence of tobacco use of 98 (15.9%) was observed out of 615 study participants who were illiterate suggesting that women with no education are at a higher risk of consuming tobacco than the women with high school education. A high proportion 100 (10.2%) of people consuming tobacco was seen in women belonging to Class V socio economic class. Conclusions: Prevalence of tobacco consumption was quite high. Poor and illiterate women living in rural area are at the maximum risk of using tobacco. There is a need for appropriate interventions to create awareness among the women about the hazards of tobacco use and to help them eventually to stop tobacco consumption. There is a need for appropriate intervention to create awareness among the women about the hazards of tobacco use and to help them eventually to stop tobacco consumption.

Tobacco use in Haiti: findings from demographic and health survey

“…Participants from poor households had higher risks of tobacco use. This aligns with past studies conducted in India [ 66 ] and Iran [ 67 ] while this result is in contrast to the study by Kulkarni et al in southern India [ 68 ]. People struggling with adverse conditions are generally affected physically and psychologically, and are also vulnerable to natural and unnatural stresses [ 69 ].…”

Socioeconomic Inequalities in Tobacco Smoking in Women Aged 15-54 in Iran: A multilevel model

“…In the study of socioeconomic classes in the county level, the results of the analysis showed that those in higher economic classes were less likely to use tobacco than those in lower economic classes, so that people in the fifth quintile were less likely to smoke than those in the first quantile, as 26% (1-e-0.3) (Table 4). The prevalence of tobacco smoking as a major public health problem has been widespread in Iran and in the world [9] . Today, in most high-income countries, there is a negative trend in tobacco use, so smoking is more common in people with a lower socioeconomic status.…”

“…[39] The study by Bosdriesz et al showed that in Latin America and the Eastern Mediterranean countries, the prevalence of tobacco smoking among women in higher socio-economic classes was higher, which did not match the results of our study in Iran. [9] In lower socioeconomic classes, tobacco smoking costs replaces other essential health costs, which in the long run lead to serious complications, the incidence of illness and death due to the use of tobacco, and consequently enlarges the gap between economic and social inequalities. [43] The results of Badr's study in multilevel analysis showed that educational level does not cause socioeconomic inequality in smoking, while in the urban areas, the results of the multilevel analysis revealed that the chances of smoking in people with a high school education was higher than the illiterates.…”

“…[8] The prevalence of smoking in women in Kenya is 3.1%, China is 4.2%, Japan is 7.9%, Ukraine is 10.2%, Bangladesh is 13.3%, Venezuela is 14.4%, Turkey is 18.2%, Germany is 20.3%, Ireland is 21%, Denmark is 22.2%, Croatia is 27.1%, and Australia is 23.8%. [9] Studies have shown that women who use tobacco are at higher risk of various types of cancers, chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases, and the birth of neonates with a genetic defect. [10] Studies have shown that people with a lower socioeconomic status and lower levels of education are more likely to smoke [11][12][13] , so that the prevalence of smoking in high socioeconomic groups is declining and this decline has led to inequality in the prevalence of tobacco smoking in various social economic classes.…”