Abstract:
Introduction: The tobacco epidemic is a major public health threat, causing over 8 million deaths annually, including 1.2 million from second-hand smoke. Death from cancer is twice as high among smokers in comparison to nonsmokers, with having four times greater risk of death from cancer in heavy smokers, and quitting tobacco use can lower the risk of getting cancer at any age This study aims to identify the prevalence and predictors of tobacco use among the elderly of Biratnagar.
Methodology: A cross-sectional community-based study was conducted on 400 elderly and the sample was selected through multistage cluster sampling from four wards of Biratnagar Metropolitan. An interview was conducted using a structured questionnaire to collect data related to the prevalence and predictors of tobacco use. Descriptive statistics like mean, median, and standard deviation, and inferential statistics like the chi-square test were used to find out the predictors of tobacco use. Variables with a p-value ≤ 0.01 in the bivariate analysis were included in the multivariate analysis to find out the predictors of tobacco use. The backward elimination strategy was used to select the variables for the final model. The probability value of <0.05 was used to indicate statistical significance.
Results: The findings of the study showed that the overall prevalence of tobacco use is 61%, among them 51.5% are smokeless tobacco users and 35.8 % are tobacco smokers. Among the tobacco smokers, 70.6 % of the respondents use cigarettes and 22.4% of the respondents use Bidi as a smoking product. Among the current smokeless tobacco user’s majority (85.9%) were using Khaini/Surti. Moreover, one-third (33.5%) were exposed to secondhand smoke at their home and less than half (42.2%) of the respondents were influenced by friends in the use of tobacco. In multivariate analysis sex, education, advertisement influence, and media exposure were the predictors of tobacco use.
Conclusion: The study concludes that less than two-thirds of the respondents reported tobacco use in any form. More than half of the respondents stated the use of smokeless tobacco followed by one-third as tobacco smokers. Likewise, the predictors of tobacco use were sex, education, ethnicity, advertisement, and media exposure. The study result would provide more evidence to concerned authorities and implications to policy at the local level to design strategies to reduce tobacco use addressing its predictors among the elderly. The local authority in collaboration with other organizations should develop plans and programs such as community-based interventions to reduce the prevalence of tobacco use.
Keywords: Elderly, prevalence, predictors, tobacco use, community
Audience Take Away Notes:
The audience will be able to learn about the prevalence and predictors of tobacco use among the elderly and they will use these findings in designing strategies to reduce tobacco use addressing its predictors in LMICs. Reducing tobacco use among the elderly requires a comprehensive approach, including community-based interventions. It will help to sensitize the audience that it is crucial to raise awareness about tobacco use among the elderly to close the cancer care gap. The findings will help them to develop educational campaigns specifically for older adults that address the risks of tobacco use.
