Is Exposure to Tobacco Advertising, Promotion and Sponsorship Associated with Initiation of Tobacco Use among Current Tobacco Users in Youth in India?

Mohini Sardana,Madhu Gupta,Bs Singh,Sonu Goel,Veera Sardana

doi:10.7314/apjcp.2015.16.15.6299

Abstract

The rise in consumption of tobacco products among youth is a public health concern in India. Several studies have shown that advertisements promoting tobacco products influence decisions and behaviour of youth towards smoking. To ascertain which method of Tobacco Advertising, Promotion and Sponsorship (TAPS) was more influential for initiating tobacco use in youth in India. The secondary data of youth (15-24 years) from nationally representative Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS) conducted in 2009-2010 was analyzed. Odds ratio and p-value were used to know the association between TAPS and initiation of use of tobacco products among youth. Logistic regression was used to determine the most significant means of TAPS altering the youth's behaviour towards tobacco products. Out of 13,383 youths, 1,982 (14.7%) used smokeless forms of tobacco and 860 (6.38%) used smoke forms. Logistic regression reveals that promotional activities mainly through cinemas (p<0.05) and providing free samples of tobacco products (p<=.001) were most influential means of initiating consumption of tobacco products among youth. The smoking in youth is associated with watching advertisements particularly in cinema and promotional activities like distribution of free samples, coupons and sales on the price of tobacco products. Stronger legislative measures should be enforced to curb promotional advertisements in cinemas and distribution of free samples.

Highlights

Youth is most vulnerable to various types of social, physical and environmental influences
Tobacco products primarily cigarettes are one of the most heavily advertised products in the world (WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control guidelines, 2003).Research shows that about one – third of youth is attracted towards different tobacco products due to various kind of advertisements and promotional activities(WHO Report On The Global Tobacco Epidemic 2013).Worldwide 78% of young people of age group 13-15 years are regularly exposed to different types of advertisements, promotional activities and sponsorship related to tobacco products
A sex stratified nationally- representative cross sectional survey in India had demonstrated that monthly cinema attendance is associated with increased smoking among women (relative risk (RR): 1.55; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.04-2.31) and men (RR: 1.17; 95%CI: 1.12-1.23) and increased tobacco chewing among men (RR: 1.15; 95%CI:1.11-1.20)

Summary

Introduction

Youth is most vulnerable to various types of social, physical and environmental influences. A number of studies have examined the relationship between youth’s smoking habits and tobacco advertisement, promotion and sponsorship (TAPS) (MacFadyen et al, 2001; Hoek et al, 2010; Gendall et al, 2011). Several studies have shown that advertisements promoting tobacco products influence decisions and behaviour of youth towards smoking. Objective: To ascertain which method of Tobacco Advertising, Promotion and Sponsorship (TAPS) was more influential for initiating tobacco use in youth in India. Logistic regression reveals that promotional activities mainly through cinemas (p

Objectives

Methods

Results

Conclusion