Abstract
BackgroundBy 2030, the Sub-Saharan African region is projected to be the epicenter of the tobacco epidemic. While smoking prevalence is currently low among women (< 2%), the prevalence among men (7.7% overall and up to 27% depending on region) makes exposure to secondhand smoke a pressing concern for women and children. To prevent the uptake of smoking among women and address tobacco-related risks, including secondhand smoke exposure, a greater understanding of women’s related perceptions is needed. The purpose of this study was to explore Ethiopian women’s knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs related to tobacco use and secondhand smoke exposure, and the potential influence of contextual factors including; khat use, exposure to pro- and anti-tobacco messaging, and religious affiliation.MethodsA cross-sectional study using a systematic household sampling technique and an adapted interviewer-administered survey was conducted in Southern Ethiopia. The survey was administered to 353 women, 18–55 years of age, in Aleta Wondo town and surrounding districts between August–October 2014 (95.2% cooperation rate).ResultsGeneral awareness of harm associated with personal tobacco use and exposure to secondhand smoke was high (> 94%); however, specific knowledge of associated health-risks was limited. More than 96% perceived female tobacco use as socially unacceptable. At the same time, more than 70% were able to name potential benefits of using tobacco for both personal consumption and non-personal use. Respondents reported greater experimentation with khat versus tobacco and 73% reported that their religion significantly influenced their tobacco-related attitudes. Overall, there were higher reports of exposure to anti-tobacco (70%) versus pro-tobacco (49%) messaging, in the last 30 days.ConclusionsThe high level of awareness of health risks associated with tobacco use and SHS exposure and the high exposure to anti-tobacco messaging are community-level strengths that can proactively be built on to prevent the projected disease burden associated with tobacco. Findings have implications for the development of contextualized gender-specific tobacco control interventions, particularly in relation to the promotion of smoke-free homes.
Highlights
By 2030, the Sub-Saharan African region is projected to be the epicenter of the tobacco epidemic
Of particular concern is that 80% of these deaths are projected to occur in low and middle-income countries (LMICs), and by 2030 sub-Saharan Africa is projected to be the epicenter of this epidemic [2, 3]
A significant difference in ever khat use was observed between respondents residing in the town (20.1% (n = 35) compared with respondents residing in an outlying rural kebele (2.2%, n = 4, p < .001)
Summary
By 2030, the Sub-Saharan African region is projected to be the epicenter of the tobacco epidemic. Women who smoke are essentially at the same risk for these diseases as men and face an increased risk for gender-specific diseases and health threats such as cervical cancer, breast cancer, osteoporosis, infertility, dysmenorrhea, premature menopause and adverse birth outcomes including spontaneous abortions, stillbirths, and low infant birth weight [1, 10]. SHS exposure has been causally linked to a range of chronic diseases and health problems for both women and children, including increased risk of lung cancer and cardiovascular disease for women and increased risk of sudden infant death syndrome, delays in physical development and cancer for children [1, 9]
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