A study on the prevalence and correlates of nicotine dependence among adolescents of Burdwan Town, West Bengal

The association of individual cognition and social environment of smoking with autonomy over tobacco: A survey from rural China

INTRODUCTION

This study explores the association of individual cognition and social environment of smoking with autonomy over tobacco, providing evidence and insights to help smokers effectively prevent and reduce tobacco dependence.

METHODS

Data were collected from 1389 participants, aged ≥15 years, by face-to-face interviews from June 2018 to November 2019 in central China. We assessed autonomy over tobacco using the Autonomy Over Smoking Scale (AUTOS), including Withdrawal Symptoms (WS), Psychological Dependence (PD) and Cue-induced Cravings (CC), and examined factors of individual cognition and social environment, as well as covariates, including demographic characteristics, health status, and smoking behavior.

RESULTS

AUTOS total score was 16.92 ± 9.05, WS score was the lowest (4.40 ± 3.36) in the three subscales, and CC score was the highest (6.88 ± 3.2). After adjustment, WS score of having a greater awareness of smoking hazards to one's own health was lower than those who had no awareness (β=0.14; 95% CI: -0.31-0.00), and the total score of AUTOS, the score of PD and CC for those who thought smoking was 'more helpful (high)' to interpersonal communication were higher than 'not helpful (not at all)' (β=0.14; 95% CI: 0.01-0.28 with β=0.16; 95% CI: 0.02-0.29; and β=0.14; 95% CI: 0.00-0.28; respectively). Having a greater difficulty in smoking cessation was associated with higher AUTOS total and subscale scores (p<0.001). Notably, none of the social-environmental factors included had a significant association with AUTOS scores.

CONCLUSIONS

Interventions targeting individual cognitive factors of tobacco dependence seem to be more effective in smoking cessation. Future research may explore the influence of family and workplace among social environmental factors, which may reveal the effect of a binding force.

Oral health and nicotine dependence in tobacco users visiting a Dental Institution in North India

Objective

The cross-sectional study was intended to evaluate the oral health and nicotine dependence among tobacco users.

Material & Methods

Fagerstorm Test for Nicotine Dependence estimated nicotine dependence and clinically oral examination was performed in recording the dentition status, oral hygiene, gingivitis and periodontal health. Descriptive statistics was computed using mean, percentage and standard deviation. Association was estimated using Independent T Test. Binary logistic regression and multiple regression analysis was used in inferential statistics.

Results

In general, 55.3% had dental caries, followed by 92.6% having gingivitis and 7.4% had clinical attachment loss. Mean DMF was 2.60 (± 3.88) and the subjects mean oral hygiene score was 3.49 (± 1.11). The mean DMF score of tobacco users worsened with increasing age. Current smokers were 1.07 times more predisposed to get dental caries than former smokers and smokeless tobacco chewers had higher odds of 1.060 times to fall susceptible to dental caries than those smoking tobacco. Dependence on tobacco substantially worsened oral hygiene.

Conclusions

Tobacco cessation practices shall be effectively enforced to minimize the burden of nicotine dependence.

Assessment of smoking in adolescents - a sample from vocational education centre

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to analyse the knowledge and attitudes about smoking in young people between 16-20 years of age, who were both working and attending the Vocational Education Centre.

METHODS

This study was conducted with high school students at the Vocational Education Centre. The socio-demographic questionnaire and the Fagerström Test of Nicotine Dependence (FTND) were applied to the students using a face-to-face interview technique. Secondly, interactive educations on smoking-free life and smoking-related diseases were given. At last, CO (carbon monoxide) levels and respiratory functions were evaluated.

RESULTS

Of the students 92.9% were males, 37.4% were 16 years, 35.8% were 17 years and 26.9% were 18-20 years old. Among 46.9% of smokers, 75.8% started smoking before 15 years of age, 86.1% were living with smokers. While 70.5% of smokers smoked more than 10 cigarettes daily, 61.3% smoked their first cigarette in the first half hour after waking up. Of the smokers, 28.8% were highly dependent, 13.0% were very highly dependent. CO levels were significantly higher in those who smoked in the workplace, who smoked mostly in the morning time, and those who started smoking at 7 years of age and younger (p < 0.05). FEV1, FVC, FEF25-75 values of morning smokers were significantly lower (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Unfortunately, the first smoking age was very low, the first cigarette of the day was lit in a short time after waking up, and family/friend's attitudes and behaviours were encouraging in this age group. More attention should be paid to this issue and especially new preventive projects should be implemented to protect young people from smoking.

The effect of anxiety on nicotine dependence among university students during the COVID-19 pandemic

PURPOSE

This study investigated the effect of anxiety on nicotine dependence among university students during the COVID-19 pandemic.

DESIGN AND METHODS

This was a descriptive and correlational study. The sample consisted of 503 university students in Turkey. Data were collected online using a demographic characteristics form, the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), and the Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence (FTND).

FINDINGS

FTND scores differed by gender, family type, and grade level, while STAI scores differed by gender, income, and region of residence (p < 0.05). Fifty-one percent of the participants had moderate anxiety, while 65.2% had low nicotine dependence. FTND and STAI mean scores were strongly correlated (p < 0.05).

PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS

The higher the anxiety, the higher the nicotine dependence among university students during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Prevalence and dependency of tobacco use among tribal gypsies in Thoothukudi district - A cross sectional study

Introduction:

The Narikuravars or “gypsy” are a semi vagrant groups distributed across borders, but primarily live in Tamil Nadu, India. They are notorious to face discrimination that interprets into low education level, low socio-economic status and lack of pertinent access to health care. The focus of the present study is to determine the prevalence and dependency with tobacco use among tribal gypsies in Thoothukudi district.

Materials and Methods:

The study design of the present study was a cross sectional which was done in Thoothukudi district in the month of December, 2019. Oral health status of the study population was analysed by WHO assessment form (adults), 2013. Tobacco dependence was analysed by Fagerstrom Nicotine dependency scale. The inclusion criteria were to include every gypsy person who is a citizen of Thoothukudi district and of all ages. The study included all the narikuravars (164) whose origin is Thoothukudi district. SPSS version 20.0 was used for statistical analysis. Descriptive statistics and Chi square tests were done to establish the distribution and association of the variables, respectively.

Results:

The total study participants of this cross-sectional study were 164, among them 128 were adults and 36 were children. Results revealed that among the adult population 64.55% were using tobacco, among them 29.1% were using smoking tobacco, 63.4% were using smokeless tobacco and 7.5% were using both. Medium nicotine dependency was more prevalent in both smoking and smokeless tobacco users (82.75% and 53.57%). The association between prevalence of tobacco use and gingival bleeding was statistically significant. Gingival bleeding was present in 88.9% of tobacco users and 11% of non-users (p value- 0.01). Significant association was found between gender and tobacco usage (p value- 0.042), dental erosion and tobacco usage (p value- 0.007). There exists significant association established between gender and nicotine dependency. (p value - 0.000).

Conclusion:

More than 60% of the adult study participants were using some form of tobacco. Medium tobacco dependency was prevalent among tobacco users. The tribal people have no access to all the services as their counterparts and it's our duty to educate them and create an insight about the ill effects of tobacco usage.

Heaviness of Smoking Index versus Fagerstrom Test for Nicotine Dependence among Current Smokers of Ahmedabad City, India

BACKGROUND

The purpose of this research was to compare Heaviness of Smoking Index (HSI), high early smoking, and heavy smoking with the Fagerstrom Test for Nicotine Dependence (FTND) and further to evaluate the sensitivity of HSI, high early smoking, and heavy smoking among existing smokers.

METHODS

A cross sectional study was conducted by using FTND questionnaire among 200 existing smokers. The cut-off point for HSI was kept at 4; high early smokers and heavy smokers were classified as those individuals who smoked within 30 minutes after waking up and individuals who smoked 30 cigarettes or more daily, respectively. Receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) analysis and Cohen's Kappa statistics were evaluated.

FINDINGS

A significant agreement was observed between the HSI and the FTND, having Kappa value of 0.70, with good sensitivity of 78.16% and specificity as high as 91.15%. The ROC analysis confirmed that a cut-off score of 4 for HSI was suitable. Agreement between FTND and high early smoking was observed to be moderate (Kappa = 0.47, P < 0.001), while very low agreement (Kappa = 0.19, P < 0.001) was observed for FTND and heavy smoking.

CONCLUSION

Results show that HSI is an effective tool which can be substituted for the conventional FTND by the clinicians, psychotherapists, and investigators in health research.

Tobacco Use Among the Youth in India: Evidence From Global Adult Tobacco Survey-2 (2016-2017)

Background:

Worldwide, tobacco use is a serious public health concern affecting the youth. A vast majority of tobacco users start using tobacco well before the age of 18 years which has enormous psychosocial and health effects.

Objectives:

To estimate the prevalence of individual forms of tobacco usage among youth aged 15 to 24 years and to assess the association of sociodemographic factors with tobacco use.

Methods:

The source of data was a cross-sectional GATS-2 survey in India (analysed using SPSSv17.0) which used a multistage, geographically stratified cluster sampling method. Bivariate analysis was done for evaluation of the possible association of tobacco use with sociodemographic factors. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was conducted to determine the relative strength of association between those factors and tobacco use.

Results:

There were 13 329 respondents (44.9% males and 55.1% females) aged 15 to 24 years. Overall, 11.9% of respondents were using tobacco. The prevalence of smoke and smokeless tobacco usage was 5% and 10.9%, respectively, whereas 2% of respondents reported dual usage. The odds of using any form of tobacco were significantly higher among respondents aged 20 to 24 years (odds ratio [OR]: 2 [1.76-2.77]) who were primarily residing in rural areas (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 1.36 [1.2-1.54]) and were unmarried (aOR: 1.56 [1.37-1.88]). The odds of using any form of tobacco were significantly lower among females (aOR: 0.21 [0.19-0.24]), literate individuals (aOR: 0.33 [0.29-0.37]), and those who were unemployed/students/homemakers (aOR: 0.44 [0.39-0.50]).

Conclusions:

The overall tobacco usage of 11.9% among young people in the age group of 15 to 24 years is a matter of concern. The study identified several sociodemographic factors significantly associated with tobacco use, implying the need for designing interventions considering social vulnerabilities of youth.