Less demand for tobacco smokers in the marriage market

Abstract

In order to control the tobacco scourge, an array of measures is required. To determine the attitude of unmarried females toward tobacco smokers and ascertain their attitude toward marrying a smoker. Female students from randomly selected colleges in Kannur district, Kerala state, India, were the participants for this cross-sectional study. Sample consisted of 1800 unmarried female students from two colleges. A self-administered, structured, close-ended pilot-tested questionnaire was used for data collection. Data were collected after obtaining verbal consent from them. Data collected were entered into an excel spread sheet and analyzed using PASW 17 software. The participants' age ranged between 17 and 25 years. About 59.6% revealed that their parents (father) used tobacco products. Of those with no family history of tobacco use, 96.5% had negative attitude toward tobacco smokers, whereas of the participants with family history of tobacco use among parents, 89% were with a negative attitude toward tobacco use or their parent's habit. This association was found to be statistically significant (P < 0.001); 79% expressed negative attitude toward their male co-students who use tobacco products. Of the total, 99.3% expressed their unwillingness to marry a person with the habit of tobacco use, whereas 0.7% were willing to marry a person with tobacco habit with the belief that they could bring about a change in their male partner's tobacco habit. More comprehensive tobacco control activities can be undertaken in the community and colleges by incorporating female students as facilitators.