Socioeconomic inequalities in tobacco cessation among Indians above 15 years of age from 2009 to 2017: evidence from the Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS)

Oral Cancer Hazards Related to Tobacco Use and a Transtheoretical Model Assessment of Preparedness of Individuals With Oral Potentially Malignant Disorders to Quit Tobacco Use

Objectives There is a lack of knowledge on oral cancer and oral potentially malignant disorders (OPMDs) among the local communities of Northeast India. Since the habit of tobacco is linked to the culture and oral cancer is a widespread epidemic here, it is pertinent to assess the knowledge about risk factors and readiness to quit the habit among the study population. Methods The present research was done in the Tobacco Cessation Centre (TCC), Department of Public Health Dentistry (PHD) of Regional Dental College (RDC), Guwahati, Assam, from Jan 2023 to June 2023. This cross-sectional research was done among 200 patients aged 15-65 years. We have utilised the transtheoretical model (TTM) for assessing behaviour change. Oral inspection using a mouth mirror and explorer with adequate illumination was used to visualise the lesions. Data was collected through a self-administered questionnaire. Chi-square and odds ratio (OR) tests were used to see the association among the variables. The data was analysed with Microsoft Excel (Microsoft Corporation, Redmond, Washington) and IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 23 (Released 2015; IBM Corp., Armonk, New York, United States). A p-value less than 0.5 is considered to be statistically significant. Results Of the 200 participants, 64(32%) had some oral lesions linked to tobacco use. A significant correlation was observed between the oral lesions and TTM stages (OR=2.81, p<0.05). Among the participants, most were aware only of tobacco (68%) and quid chewing (58%) practices as risk reasons for developing oral cancer. Conclusion The study participants' awareness of OPMDs, their health risks, and clinical signs and symptoms could be higher. A significant relationship was seen between OPMDs and TTM behavioural stages.

Teacher's Perspectives About Tobacco Consumption and Its Prevention Among Students From Western Maharashtra, India: A Qualitative Study

Background Teachers are role models for students and influential members of society. They are capable of influencing social norms related to tobacco control among students. This background study was planned to understand teachers' opinions and views about factors influencing tobacco use and prevention strategies being used. Methodology We conducted qualitative research on teacher's opinions about tobacco use among students. We chose focus group discussion as our data collection method, as we wanted to observe their personal views on social norms. We involved 70 high school teachers in our study from the Akola district. The data collected from the teachers were organized into various themes interrelated to the objectives. Results The majority of teachers mentioned that the reason for tobacco consumption among children was peer pressure, from observations of older individuals in society, and from TV serials. Some teachers suggested that proper counseling and telling them about the harmful effects of tobacco are useful for prevention. Tobacco's harmful effects and its prevention strategies were not included in the standard curricula of students, which is one of the key barriers. Conclusions There is a need to implement school-based tobacco prevention education programs to reduce the early onset of smoking among students. School authorities must implement the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Production, Supply, and Distribution) Act, 2003 effectively with the help of the police to prohibit tobacco use among teachers and students.

Awareness and utilization of smoking cessation clinics in Saudi Arabia, findings from the 2019 Global Adult Tobacco Survey

BACKGROUND

Tobacco use remains a leading cause of premature death. To combat tobacco use, the Ministry of Health (MOH) improved access to smoking cessation clinics (SCCs) by developing fixed SCCs and mobile SCCs, which move based on demand across locations. The goal of this study was to investigate awareness and utilization of SCCs among tobacco users in Saudi Arabia and the factors that influence their awareness and utilization.

METHOD

This cross-sectional study used the 2019 Global Adult Tobacco Survey. Three outcome variables were employed, including tobacco users' awareness of fixed SCCs, mobile SCCs, and utilization of fixed SCCs. Several independent variables were examined, including sociodemographic characteristics and tobacco use. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed.

RESULTS

One thousand six hundred sixty-seven tobacco users were included in this study. There were 60%, 26%, and 9% of tobacco users who were aware of fixed SCCs, aware of mobile SCCs, and visited fixed SCCs, respectively. The likelihood of being aware of SCCs increased among users residing in urban areas (fixed SCCs: OR = 1.88; 95% CI = 1.31-2.68; mobile SCCs: OR = 2.09; CI = 1.37-3.17) while it decreased among those reported self-employed (fixed SCCs: OR = 0.31; CI = 0.17-0.56; mobile SCCs: OR = 0.42; CI = 0.20-0.89). The likelihood of visiting fixed SCCs increased among educated tobacco users aged 25-34 (OR = 5.61; CI = 1.73-18.21) and 35-44 (OR = 4.22; CI = 1.07-16.64) while the odds of visiting SCCs decreased among those who were working in the private sector (OR = 0.26; CI = 0.09-0.73).

CONCLUSION

The decision to quit smoking must be supported by an effective healthcare system that provides accessible and affordable smoking cessation services. Knowing the factors that influence the awareness and utilization of SCCs would help policymakers dedicate efforts targeting those who desire to quit smoking yet face limitations in using SCCs.