Changing pattern of tobacco consumption and quitting behavior in Northeast India

ABSTRACT

Objective: This paper aims to understand the recent trends and correlation of tobacco use and factors associated with an attempt to quit smokeless tobacco (SLT) use among adults from Northeast India.

Methods: We used data from two rounds of the cross-sectional Global Adult Tobacco Survey. The paper applied proportion test statistics to examine the change in the prevalence of tobacco use between the two periods. Binary logistic regression was applied to determine the associated risks of tobacco use.

Results: Prevalence of SLT use among adults increased significantly by 3.9% from 2009-10 to 2016–17. In the same period, the prevalence of smoking had declined by 2.4%. Increase in use of SLT use was more prominent among women and illiterate adults, rural and poor households, while a decrease in prevalence of smoking was observed among adults. A significant proportion of educated people, students, and homemakers, reported that they had quit smoking; however, the proportion of attempts to quit SLT had increased significantly among older adults, rural residents, and those with low education levels.

Conclusions: Actions involving the community, youth, women, the less educated and poor adults are necessary to encourage them quit SLT use and smoking in the north-eastern states of India.

KEYWORDS:

• Northeast India
• smokeless tobacco use
• GATS
• tobacco quitting behavior

Authorship

The author’s responsibilities were as follows. BS, PK and PD contributed to the concept, development of this study, and oversaw the statistical analysis. SPM contributed to the writing and development of the manuscript. PK conducted the data analysis and interpreted the results. PD contributes to the concept, development, and supervision of the study.

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.

Role of funding source

This study did not receive any specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.