Prevalence of tobacco use among young adult males in India: a community-based epidemiological study.
Reference: Am J Drug Alcohol Abuse. 2010 Jan;36(1):73-7.
Saddichha S, Khess CR.
National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bangalore, India. saddichha@gmail.com
This study aimed to explore the prevalence of tobacco use among young adult males in Ranchi, as confirmed by serum cotinine levels.
METHODS: Five-hundred male students were selected through systematic randomized process to represent 5 universities in Ranchi. After informed consent, the students were administered Tobacco and Other Substance Use questionnaire and then subjected to urine Rapid Nicotine Test to improve sensitivity and biologically confirm prevalence. All tobacco users then were administered Fagerstrom's Scale for Severity of Nicotine Dependence.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Biologically confirmed prevalence of tobacco use among male students was 55.6%, revealing high degree of prevalence in this age group. Predominant form of tobacco use was cigarettes (78%) followed by khaini (20%) and gutkha (2%), showing that most young adults use cigarettes possibly due to the 'cool image' associated with it. Seventy-seven percent of all tobacco users want to quit, thereby giving a strong opportunity to carry out cessation services in this group. There was higher mean Fagerstrom's Scale for Severity of Nicotine Dependence (FTND) score in smokers (6.7 +/- 2.2) compared to chewers (4.6 +/- 2.5), revealing higher severity of dependence among smokers than chewers
Yours Healthily, AYUSHMANTRA
No comments:
Post a Comment