Insights into Smoking and its Cessation among Current Smokers in India

Abstract

<b>Background:</b> Initiation, perpetuation and cessation of smoking are all multifactorial. It is essential to exploreinteractions among various parameters influencing smoking and its cessation for effective smoking cessationinterventions. <br/><b>Objectives</b>: To obtain insights into smoking and its cessation among current smokers in India.Materials and <br/><b>Methods</b>: The present study was conducted among current smokers visiting the Department ofOral Medicine and Radiology, Manipal College of Dental Sciences (MCODS), Manipal University, Mangalore.Knowledge, attitudes, behavior, worksite practices towards smoking and its cessation, barriers to smokingcessation and socio-demographic variables were explored using a structured, pretested, self-administeredquestionnaire. <br/><b>Results</b>: A total of 175 current smokers participated in the study. Mean knowledge, attitude,worksite practice and barrier scores were 15.2±5.67 (66.1%), 57.5±7.67(82.1%), 4.18±2.02 (41.8%) and 57.4±12.37(63.7%) respectively. Correlation analysis revealed: association of knowledge with education, occupation andreligion; attitude with education and occupation; worksite practices with occupation; knowledge with attitude;and barriers negatively with worksite practices. The majority (85.7%) of respondents intended to quit smokingand this was associated with higher attitude scores, whereas actual quit attempts were associated with highknowledge, attitudes, worksite practices and low barrier scores. <br/><b>Conclusions</b>: Various socio-demographicfactors associated with smoking and its cessation were identified. The present study highlights the importanceof identifying and targeting these interactions while framing guidelines and interventions for effective tobaccocessation in a developing country like India.