Smoking cessation: exploring predictors of change in smoking behavior in Indian male population

Abstract

The disease burden due to non-communicable and chronic diseases is on the rise in India. Smoking is a well established and most preventable risk factor. As demonstrated in various parts of the world, change in the behavior toward smoking would hold key to its control and cessation. Using a cross-sectional descriptive study, data were collected from three major Indian states for analyzing the predictors of smoking cessation in Indian men. The article analyses smoking behavior of former and current smokers who attempted and never attempted quitting. Socioeconomic status, age at initiation and duration of smoking were significantly associated with type of smokers. Three factors, namely, psychological dependence, emotional dependence and behavioral dependence explained variance up to 58%. Compared to health and cost issues (5.7% each), concern for children (9.8%) was reported more as a reason behind cessation by successful quitters.

• Barriers
• behavior change
• determinants
• health risk
• smoking cessation

Acknowledgements

The authors are indebted to Indian Council of Medical Research for a grant to Indian Institute of Health Management Research, Jaipur, India, in support of this study.