Prevalence and Predictors of Current Tobacco Smoking in Bangladesh

Abstract

Tobacco smoking is a leading modifiable global disease risk factor, with nearly 6 million premature deaths, 6.90% of years of life lost, and 5.5% disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) in 2010 (1,2). Global age-standardized prevalence of daily tobacco smoking was 31.1% in 2012 for men (3). Nearly 80% of the more than one billion smokers worldwide live in low- and middle-income countries, where the burden of tobacco-related illness and death is heaviest (4). Given the importance of tobacco as a risk to health, monitoring the distribution and intensity of tobacco use is critical particularly for low- and middle- income countries. Data and Methodology: We have used secondary data of size 9629 (male=4468 and female=5161) aged 15 years and above collected by the Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS), 2010. Principle Component Analysis (PCA) has been used to get the wealth index. Binary logistic regression model has been used to assess the predictors of current tobacco smoking. Results: Prevalence of current tobacco smokers in Bangladesh was 23.19 (48.28% male and 1.47% female) and the prevalence of current daily tobacco smokers was 21.16. Rural respondents were significantly more likely to smoke tobacco currently. Comparative to females, males were more likely to smoke currently (adjusted OR=37.55, 95% CI=25.91, 54.41). Respondents of youngest age group (15-24 yrs) were less likely to smoke currently than all other age groups and respondents with no formal schooling were more likely to smoke than respondents with all other levels of education. Businessmen, farmers and workers/day labours were more likely to smoke, and employee, students and respondents with other jobs were less likely to smoke. It was also found that respondents with lowest wealth index were most likely to smoke and respondents with higher wealth index were least likely to smoke. Conclusion: The results reveal that in Bangladesh, tobacco smoking is strongly associated with social disadvantage, for example, low socio-economic status, less education, stressed or low-paid job, etc. Giving it as public health priority, WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control should be implemented. In addition, a nationwide campaign is needed to educate people in rural area about the health risks of smoking tobacco.