Determinants of Tobacco Cessation Behaviour among Smokersand Smokeless Tobacco Users in the States of Gujarat andAndhra Pradesh, India

Abstract

<strong>Background:</strong> This study was undertaken to identify the socio-demographic determinants of quit attemptsamong smokers and smokeless tobacco users to identify correlates of tobacco cessation behaviour in IndiaMaterials and <br /><strong>Methods</strong>: This was a cross-sectional study for the outcome of quit attempts made by current tobaccousers in last 12 months in twelve districts in two states. Simple and multivariable logistic regression analysis wasused to obtain the odds ratios (ORs) of socio-demographic variables (age, gender, education, occupation, socioeconomicstatus, community, area, type of family) and tobacco user status (smoker/smokeless). <br /><strong>Results</strong>: In thecombined analysis, a smoker had higher predicted probability of attempting quitting (OR- 1.41,CI 1.14 -1.90),in comparison to a smokeless tobacco user and a tobacco user in the state of Gujarat was less likely to attemptquitting than a user in Andhra Pradesh (OR-0.60, CI 0.47-0.78). The probability of making a quit attempt washigher among tobacco users who were more educated (OR-1.40, CI 1.04-1.94), having a higher socio-economicstatus (SES) (OR-2.39, CI 1.54-3.69), and belonging to non-agricultural labourer occupational group (OR-1.90,CI 1.29-2.78). The effects were maintained even after adjusting for all other variables. In disaggregated analysis,findings were similar except in smokeless as a separate group, education level was not significantly associatedwith quit attempts and with lower odds (OR-0.91, CI 0.58-1.42). <br /><strong>Conclusions</strong>: This is one of the first studies toprovide useful insight into potential determinants for quit attempts of tobacco users in India including smokelesstobacco users, exploring the socio-demographic patterning of correlates of quit attempts.