Rural Areas Of Pakistan Research Articles

Assessing the Role of Pedagogy in Performance of Schools in Rural Islamabad

Rural areas in Pakistan are confronted with multiple problems including the provision of quality education to rural children. The key component of quality education is the level of pedagogy in rural schools. Effective pedagogy contributes significantly towards students' learning. The current study was conducted to assess the role of pedagogy as a major determinant in schools' performance in four rural sectors of Islamabad. The universe of this study included all public schools located in four rural sectors of Islamabad. There are a total of 275 public schools in rural Islamabad. A sample of 83 schools, both primary and secondary schools, was selected out of the total schools by using proportionate stratified random sampling technique. A self-developed questionnaire entailing the objectives of the study was used to collect data. Descriptive statistics and regression analysis were used to analyze data. Pedagogy was assessed through three major components. These are communication skills (CS), lesson planning (LP), and command of content (CoC). These components were quantified accordingly. Results showed that pedagogy had a positive and highly significant effect on school performance at both primary and secondary levels. Provision of quality education is the right of rural children like those in urban settings where access to and quality of education are much better. Efforts should be made to improve and diversify pedagogical practices in rural schools and bring these at par with urban schools.

Exploring Creation of Connected Classroom in Rural College: Challenges and Implications

Education plays an important role in the lives of individuals. Education helps the individuals in developing skills, capabilities, attitudes and behavior (Saleem & Shah, 2015). In developing countries like Pakistan access towards education is not satisfactory. In Pakistan, at the higher education, arts subjects generally and science subjects particularly are not with in the access of rural people. Because there are very few colleges in rural areas, and these colleges have shortage of subject specialist faculty. The available faculty is only for teaching compulsory courses and limited option of humanities group courses. As a result, the rural communities are deprived from their basic right of getting education and unable to utilize their potential in their areas of interest. Connected classroom is one of the technological innovation that can be used to overcome the shortage of teaching faculty issue in rural areas. Connected classrooms are created by using new technology tools to build online networks and develop personal learning resources through collaboration with personal learning networks and professional learning communities (Siemens, 2005). t was observed that in remote and rural areas of Pakistan, the opportunities of higher education are limited. After completing the secondary school certificate, students have limited option to choose subjects of their interest. As a result, either they select the subjects in which they are not interested or move towards cities to get better education opportunities. But it is a sad fact that majority of students cannot afford to travel towards colleges in big cities, and have to left their journey of education. Therefore, this study introduced connected classroom technology for rural and remote communities at college level to improve student's enrollment in rural area colleges instead of moving towards urban colleges. More importantly, it will help to overcome the problem of shortage of subject teachers at the rural colleges as well. Keywords: Connected classroom; teaching faculty; rural college; rural student

NDSP 06: Prevalence and risk factors for obesity in urban and rural areas of Pakistan: A study from second National Diabetes Survey of Pakistan (NDSP), 2016–2017

ObjectiveTo study the pattern and prevalence of obesity in a large representative sample of Pakistani population aged 20 years and above. MethodologyThis study is a sub analysis of the second National Diabetes Survey of Pakistan (NDSP) 2016–2017, a large community-based epidemiological survey carried out from February 2016 to August 2017 in all 4 provinces of Pakistan. An estimated sample size of 10,834 people was calculated using a multistage sampling technique. Out of 213 clusters, Twenty-seven clusters were selected from all four provinces of Pakistan. Households were identified and selected members of every 10th household were advised to come to the campsite after an overnight fast. All the study participants underwent anthropometric measurements including height, weight, and waist circumference by using standardized techniques and oral glucose tolerance tests were done. Data were analyzed on the statistical package for social sciences (SPSS), version 20. ResultsOverall weighted prevalence of generalized obesity was 57.9% (42% in males and 58% in females) and central obesity 73.1% (37.3% in males and 62.7% in females) as per WHO Asia pacific cutoffs. The highest prevalence of generalized obesity was found in Punjab 60%, followed by Khyber, Pakhtunkhwa 59.2%. Moreever, highest prevalence of abdominal obesity was observed in Baluchistan 82.1%, followed by Punjab 73.3%. Obesity (generalized and abdominal) was found significantly associated with diabetes, hypertension, and dyslipidemia. ConclusionThe prevalence of obesity is at epidemic proportions in Pakistan, calling for urgent lifestyle intervention strategies to prevent and manage this important cardiometabolic risk factor.

Comparison of Atorvastatin and Rosuvastatin in Reduction of Inflammatory Markers in Acute Coronary Syndrome.

Introduction: Patients suffering from acute coronary syndrome (ACS) are found to have elevated levels of inflammatory markers such as high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) in their blood. These elevated inflammatory markers can lead to complications in ACS. Statins such as atorvastatin and rosuvastatin are known to reduce inflammatory markers. Our aim is to compare the efficacy of atorvastatin and rosuvastatin in reducing inflammatory markers.Methods: This prospective, open-label, randomized trial was conducted in the cardiovascular department of tertiary care in a rural area of Pakistan. There were 128 patients diagnosed with ACS who were enrolled in the study. They were randomized into two groups, i.e. group A in which patients received 40 mg rosuvastatin daily and group B in which patients received 20 mg atorvastatin daily. hsCRP and ESR were recorded for all the patients at baseline (before starting therapy) and then again after four weeks. The results were compared between both groups.Result: Out of 128 patients, 113 (88.2%) patients completed the study. According to this study, at the end of four weeks, rosuvastatin reduced hsCRP (p value: < 0.0001) and ESR (p value: 0.015) values significantly more when compared with atorvastatin.Conclusion: In this study, rosuvastatin was significantly superior to atorvastatin in reducing inflammatory markers such as ESR and hsCRP in patients suffering from ACS. Cardiologists should consider using rosuvastatin rather than atorvastatin in management of patients suffering from ACS with elevated inflammatory biomarkers.

Assessing the socio-economic viability of solar commercialization and electrification in south Asian countries

Solar power is a promising alternative energy source for a sustainable environment for developing countries in the Asian continent. The assessment of its sustainability particularly in the South Asian countries necessitates a complete and rigorous statistical investigation. In the current study, we investigate solar energy profile and potential in Pakistan’s Sindh province as a case study. Although the electrification of Sindh Province using off-grid solar PV systems is relatively easy and also most convenient, the challenge is to measure the province’s capacity of solar power and its economic viability. Results show that the rural areas of Pakistan have sufficient solar irradiance in order to produce power. The suitable inclination angles of solar power modules contain the significant capacity of solar power for electricity production. Finding regarding economic viability shows that an off-grid solar photovoltaic system ensures the electricity at price of PKR 6.87/kWh while this is cheap source of energy as compared to traditional energy source (about 20.79 PKR /kWh). Furthermore, the system of off-grid solar photovoltaic could reduce, 119,000 metric tons of CO2 per year simultaneously it ensure the all remote rural areas implement the off-grid solar energy system. The study provides a useful renewable roadmap for energy in South Asian countries and those presently captivating distant and off-grid regions.

NDSP 05: Prevalence and pattern of dyslipidemia in urban and rural areas of Pakistan; a sub analysis from second National Diabetes Survey of Pakistan (NDSP) 2016-2017.

Dyslipidemia is a major risk issue for the development of cardiovascular disease. The aim of our study was to observe the pattern and prevalence of dyslipidemia in Pakistani population. This is a sub analysis of a population based second National Diabetes Survey of Pakistan (NDSP) 2016-2017 in adults aged 20years or above, carried out from February 2016 to August 2017 across Pakistan. Multi stage sampling technique was used for the stratification of population, based on rural and urban domains. District wise clusters and sub clusters were selected i.e. 27 and 46 in number. Subjects, consented to participate were requested to come after an overnight fast for anthropometric measurements, oral glucose tolerance test and fasting lipid profile (except for subjects with self-reported diabetes). Dyslipidemia was identified using Adult Treatment Panel III guidelines. A total of 10,834 subjects (43.8% male and 56.2% female) having mean age of 43.8 ± 14.0years, participated in the survey. Of the subjects studied, 39.3% had hypercholesterolemia, 48.9% had hypertriglyceridemia, 39.7% had high LDL-C levels while 83.9% men and 90% women had low HDL levels. High cholesterol and triglyceride levels were highest in 50-59years age group, while high LDL and low HDL was most common in 40-49years age group. Diabetes, obesity and hypertension were found to be the significant determinants for dyslipidemia. Prevalence of dyslipidemia seems to be very high in Pakistan, necessitating an urgent call for early screening and effective management through lifestyle intervention and appropriate lipid lowering drugs to prevent this important cardiovascular risk factor.

ANALYTIC HIERARCHY PROCESS MODEL FOR THE SELECTION OF OPTIMAL INTERNET ACCESS TECHNOLOGIES IN RURAL PAKISTAN

Information and telecommunication technologies are considered significant for the economic and social development of isolated and remote areas. Internet technologies create links between urban and rural areas that can overcome the barrier of distance that typically hinders development. In rural areas of Pakistan, Internet penetration is low due to high cost, lack of manageable infrastructure, public issues and many other factors that disturb sustainable Internet provision; however, the choice of access to technology in rural areas is a complex process. In this paper, we used the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) method, which is a powerful multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) approach and is a structured procedure for organizing and analyzing complex decisions. Furthermore, we proposed an AHP model for the selection of an ideal Internet access technology, which would facilitate access to Internet services to the 61% of the population who live in Pakistan’s rural areas. Data were collected from 38 respondents, from both academia and the telecom sector IT professionals. The relative weights of each factor and technology alternative were synthesized with Expert Choice 2000. This paper can provide comprehensive recommendations to telecommunication policymakers for Internet deployment and the selection of optimal Internet access technology in rural Pakistan.

Religious and Cultural Manipulation of Gender Roles in The Bull and the She Devil by Zeb Un Nisa Hameedullah

This paper attempts to study the exploitation of women that takes place in the rural areas of Pakistan in the name of cultural and religious norms. Its main focus is to do analysis of Zeb Un Nisa Hameedullah’s short story titled The Bull and the She Devil under the Lacanian psychoanalytic model delimited to the Mirror stage. The Mirror stage speculates that an individual recognizes himself in the mirror literally and figuratively. In the short story, Ghulam Qadir, the main character, sees himself in the mirror of his newlywed wife and recognizes his weakness. He projects his weaknesses that mainly surface up after his marriage. He does not realize his own shortcomings; rather he puts the entire blame of his failures upon his wife, Shirin, who is committed to her, and does not resist to him like a typical rural woman of Pakistan. The setting of the story locates the rural area of the Punjab province of Pakistan. Ghulam Qadir gives different labels to her and one of the harsh label he uses against Shirin is Devil. This term reveals the psyche of Ghulam Qadir who conceives his wife as a sign of bad happenings, murders her, and commits suicide in the end. The very term, foremost, reflects the inmost of the Pakistani rural men who hold absolute power in the family and misuse the religious and cultural norms just in order to extend their long established hierarchical structure where woman is mere a subject to them. This study reveals that males of the rural areas of Pakistan express their psychological frustration over women and allege them by taking refuge under the umbrella of religion.

Flood risk perception and its determinants among rural households in two communities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan

Risk perception plays a vital part in flood risk management and mitigation strategies. Therefore, this study aims at first to measure the risk perception of the vulnerable households in the rural areas of Pakistan and, second, to assess the determinants and to estimate their impacts on risk perception among different groups of households. Data were collected through questionnaire survey from 382 respondents in two districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, Pakistan. Risk perception was measured through a Likert scale for a set of indicators, and the composite index was calculated. Moreover, univariate and multivariate logistic models were applied to explore the relationship between dependent and independent variables. Results of risk perception show that 50.52% of the respondents perceived a high risk of floods in the study area. Results of regression models show that the age group 40–50 years was less likely to perceive a high risk of floods. Respondents with flood experience, education (higher secondary and above), household location (near the bank of streams) and household distance from the river (≤ 500) were more likely to perceive high floods risk. Furthermore, respondents in the riverine flood-prone areas perceived high flood risk than respondents in the flash flood-prone regions. The study contributes in terms of useful information about the risk perception of floods and the determinants of flood risk perception in rural areas. These findings can help the provincial disaster management authorities and local disaster management units in understanding flood risk and implementing relevant interventions at the local level that can be used in adaptation to floods and other climate-induced disasters.

An Analysis of Medium of Instruction Policies in the Education System of Pakistan with Specific Reference to English Medium Education

A critical examination of the trends, issues, and challenges in policy and practice of English language education in Pakistan is the main concern of this paper. This is done first by describing the practice of teaching English in varied instructional situations. Second, the paper historically reviews the language education policies since Pakistan’s independence in 1947. Third, the consequences of using English as the medium of instruction are discussed. A longitudinal large scale study is done to highlight the fact that English as medium of instruction at primary school level can distort the teaching and learning activities for students and teachers in rural areas of Pakistan and student drop-out rate can even get higher in those areas. The data was collected from the interviews of twenty teachers working in government and semi government schools at primary level. Based on the information obtained from the target participants, teaching at the same level but in different schools, the author argues that mother tongue education at the primary level is the most appropriate method to enhance the educational performance of students and a positive approach to bilingual education must be taken to resolve the challenges associated with the medium of instruction policies in the education system of Pakistan. Moreover, the data also shows that adopting English as a medium of instruction in Public schools may lead to low motivation level among students and it can hinder the development of English as a second language among learners. Furthermore, a difference in home language and school language may also hamper development and concepts formation in students at school level. Therefore, it is recommended that before implementing any language as medium of instruction at school level, one must review the history of Pakistani education system and must keep in mind the linguistic differences of the society and unavailability of resources is also a major hindrance in implementation of any language policy. The results of this study confirm that the pedagogical effectiveness could only be achieved through the mother tongue and provides clear evidence for the usage of native languages as a medium of education in schools.

PRIORITIZATION OF RENEWABLE SOLAR ENERGY TO PREVENT ENERGY INSECURITY: AN INTEGRATED ROLE

Renewable energy decreases the threat of energy insecurity. Solar energy systems are proving to be an easy and cheaper solution to energy crisis worldwide. Developing countries including Pakistan have augmented efforts to boost the current solar capacity. The identification of desired solar power point plant fabrication requires robust analysis of several factors. Adequate research has not been done on the site selection process for solar projects in Pakistan. This study identifies and proposes multiple point states having solar energy potential. Based on the multiple main and sub-criteria obtained from the literature, a mathematical formulation has been used to install the solar projects at rural areas of Pakistan. An empirical assessment of the off-grid rural solar power projects in Pakistan has also been conducted in this case study. The results reveal that mass, money supply and ratio are important, while the transmission on the matrix, the cost of land and the sun were generated. The study found the district of Barkhan (R2) of Baluchistan to be the most ideal site, followed by Jacobabad (R3) and Mastung (R3). With respect to economic viability, this study found that solar energy systems provide electricity which is much cheaper than conventional energy supplied in the country. This study could be useful reference for South Asian countries including India, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan, which are currently electrifying remote and rural areas through solar energy system.

Contribution of Social Support, Social Cultural, and Social Interference Factors in Sports Participation of Female Athletes - A Qualitative Approach

The primary purpose of the study was to investigate the social and cultural factors which provide support to female athletes as well as to explore the interferences in their sports participation. Total 43 female student-athletes of secondary schools participated in six focus group interviews. Interviews of these focus groups were recorded and prepared notes from them. The findings revealed that parents support and appreciate their girls in sports at their achievements at a low level. It was revealed from the findings that female athletes have fewer facilities and rewards/incentives. It was found that female athletes were also criticized on their sports dresses in rural areas of Pakistan. On the other hand, few opportunities, sports dress, and gender inequalities were found as big hurdles in sports participation of female athletes due to male dominance. Parents, peers, siblings, and sports teachers should support their females in their sports participation.

Impact of socio-economic and water access conditions on life satisfaction of rural farmers in Faisalabad district of Pakistan

Abstract The current study is designed to see the effects of water access on the well-being of the farming community in rural areas of Pakistan. The data were collected from 300 households of ten villages in rural Faisalabad, Pakistan where the population is facing serious water quality and access issues due to industrial pollution, lack of clean water supply system and limited access to fresh water for agricultural use. We employed ordinary least square and ordered probit methods to measure the association between water access variables and households’ well-being. We found that source and quality of drinking water, access to irrigation water, and percentage of crop water requirement fulfilled, and water expenses were statistically significant influencing the households’ well-being. The study concluded that water access conditions strongly influence the life satisfaction and water access conditions must be considered in future research. Acknowledging the contribution of village-level economic activities to economic growth, a strong policy is proposed to re-evaluate the existing rural water supply strategy to enhance the households’ well-being and enhance livelihood generation among neglected pro-poor farmers in rural areas of Pakistan.

Factors affecting the utilization of antenatal care among married women of reproductive age in the rural Thatta, Pakistan: findings from a community-based case-control study

BackgroundThere are differences in antenatal care (ANC) utilization between urban and rural areas of Pakistan. Although multiple factors have been studied affecting the utilization of general health care services, the effect of road network distance particularly on the utilization of ANC has not been assessed. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the association between road network distance from a health care facility and utilization of the ANC among women of reproductive age in Thatta Pakistan.MethodsA community-based case-control study was conducted in district Thatta, Pakistan. Women who did not utilize ANC services during their last pregnancy were considered as cases, while controls were the women who utilized ANC services during their last pregnancy. Questions related to socio-demographic, access-related factors and utilization of ANC were asked from women. Road network distance was calculated from the women’s home to the health care facility providing ANC services. Logistic regression analysis was performed.ResultsA total of 380 participants were interviewed in this study. Participants’ mean age and parity were 28 years (SD 5.65), and 3.5 (SD 2.6) respectively. The multivariate analysis showed that women living at a shorter distance of less than 5 km were 1.21 times likely to utilize ANC services [Adjusted OR. 1.21; 95% CI (0.49–2.99)]. Moreover, nulliparous women were 4.10 times likely to utilize antenatal care [Adjusted OR. 4.10; 95% CI (1.10–15.26)]. Similarly, women who had knowledge of antennal care were 6.60 times likely to utilize ANC services [Adjusted OR. 6.60; 95% CI (3.33–13.05)]. Women having electricity in their households were 3.15 times likely to utilize the ANC services [Adjusted OR. 3.11 95% CI (1.51–6.41)]. Women, living in well-constructed (Pakka) houses were 2.58 times likely to utilize the ANC services [Adjusted O.R: 2.58; 95% CI (1.15–5.82)].ConclusionRoad network distance has no measurable impact on ANC utilization among married women in Thatta district, Pakistan. Nulliparous women having knowledge of ANC living in well-constructed houses equipped with electricity were found to be utilizers of ANC services. It is recommended that awareness and health education sessions should be arranged for pregnant women in rural Pakistan.

Credit Impact on Agriculture Production in Pakistan

Credit Impact on Agriculture Production in Pakistan

The non-banking financial institutions in perspective of economic growth of Pakistan

ABSTRACT Globally, Non-banking Financial Institutions (NBFIs) are considered as an important source of financing to the underserved markets such as micro, small and medium enterprises. The purpose of the study is to ascertain the contribution of the NBFIs sector of Pakistan for the micro, small and medium enterprises and agriculture sector growth with the perspective of economic development of the country. Regression and Pearson’s correlation techniques are adopted to analyse the financial performance of NBFIs extend the effective benefit to the shareholders and investors to expand business operations and NBFIs asset-based financing to the SME sector and the SMEs contribution to the GDP of Pakistan. Additionally, a sample independent t-test is conducted to find out the difference between the NBFIs total lease disbursement and SME lease financing to SMEs. However, there is a positive connection between NBFI’s asset-based financing to the SME sector and the SME’s contribution to the economic growth of Pakistan. The study recommends NBFI’s operational scale should be expanded to semi-urban and rural areas of Pakistan.

Ramifications of Households Non-farm Income on Agricultural Productivity: Evidence from Rural Area of Pakistan

In Pakistan, agriculture sector currently contributes up to 28 percent to in GDP. Due to the development of modern science and technology, rural household source of income is altering. Lots of research suggested that non-farm income is the main source of income for rural area. This study investigates the effects of non-farm income on agriculture productivity in Pakistan. The current research accumulated data from Pakistan Social and Living Standards Measurement Survey (PSLM) 2014-15. Pakistan Federal Bauru of Statistics has developed its own sampling frame for rural and urban areas. Researcher used the Heckman’s two-step procedure to tackle the problem of endogeneity and selection bias. The first phase of probit regression coefficient indicates that the availability of banks, motorable roads, forest, telecommunication substructure, montane grasslands and shrublands zone are substantial to clarify the non-farm income. On the other hand, the second stage of OLS regression exhibited a significant negative association between non-farm income and per-capita farm income.

Secondary school students who drop out of school in rural Pakistan: The perspectives of fathers

ABSTRACTBackground: The problem of students dropping out of school is one of the barriers to improving educational outcomes in poor and developing countries.Purpose: This small scale, in-depth study sought to explore the phenomenon of students who drop out from secondary education, through the perspectives of fathers of such students in a rural district of Pakistan.Method: Primary data were collected through detailed, individual interviews with 14 fathers whose sons had dropped out from secondary education. The study adopted a framework involving push and pull factors to analyse qualitatively the processes and examine the reasons for dropping out that prevailed inside and outside school.Findings: The analysis suggested that, from the perspectives of the fathers, family poverty, poor academic performance and issues relating to teachers’ engagement with teaching at school were main factors involved in a student dropping out of school.Conclusions: The findings from this small scale, detailed analysis of data draw attention to the issues arising from a tension in mainstream teachers’ educational roles in and beyond the school. It further highlights the need for greater investment in secondary education, in order to help to reduce rates of student drop out in the remote rural areas of Pakistan.

Information outreach interventions to promote the information access, use and exchange in the rural areas of Pakistan

PurposeThis study is a part of the doctoral dissertation that proposes concrete measures to improve health-care information outreach program for rural health-care professionals in primary and secondary health care in Punjab, Pakistan. This study aims to report on the barriers to accessing and using online health-care information from rural settings of the Punjab province of Pakistan.Design/methodology/approachA cross-sectional survey was conducted in primary and secondary health-care settings in the Punjab province of Pakistan. The study’s population consisted of the rural primary care physicians (PCPs), who were geographically dispersed across 2,873 different remote health-care settings across Punjab. These practice settings included 2,455 basic health units, 293 rural health centers, 89 tehsil headquarter hospitals and 36 district headquarter hospitals.FindingsLimited internet access, non-availability of required equipment and lack of training facilities were identified as the main barriers. PCPs’ gender, previous enrollment in post-graduation programs and type of health-care facility were significant factors in the perceived barriers related to both “non-availability of required equipment” and “inadequate training facilities on the use of information resources”.Practical implicationsThe findings of the study hold some important practical implications for different stakeholders. This study identifies and addresses the barriers to accessing and using health-care information for PCPs in rural settings. The success of the health-care information outreach program in Punjab, Pakistan, should rely on the eradication of these barriers.Originality/valueTo the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first large-scale study in Pakistan that assesses the barriers and proposes ways to overcome these barriers to effectively access and use health-care information.

Prevalence of tobacco use in urban and rural areas of Pakistan; a sub-study from second National Diabetes Survey of Pakistan (NDSP) 2016 - 2017.

Objective:To assess age standardized prevalence of tobacco use in urban and rural areas of Pakistan.Methods:This is a sub-study of second National Diabetes Survey of Pakistan (NDSP) 2016-2017. Prevalence of tobacco, ex-tobacco and non-tobacco users was determined in urban/rural areas of four provinces (Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Baluchistan) of Pakistan amongst people aged greater than or equal to 20 years. Information regarding tobacco and non-tobacco users were obtained from second NDSP (2016-2017) predesigned questionnaire. Detailed methodology for demographic, anthropometric and biochemical parameters remained same as reported in second NDSP (2016-2017).Results:The age-standardized prevalence of tobacco use in Pakistan was found to be 13.4%. Tobacco use in urban areas was 16.3% and rural areas was 11.7%. Tobacco use in urban and rural males was 26.1% and 24.1%, while in females was 7.7% and 3.1%, respectively. The age-standardized prevalence of ex-tobacco use in Pakistan was found to be 2.3%. Ex-tobacco use in urban areas was 2.6% and rural areas was 2.3%. Similarly, ex-tobacco use in urban and rural males was 4.6% and 4.6%, while in females was 0.7% and 0.5%, respectively. Multinomial logistic regression analysis shows that increasing age does not relate towards addiction of tobacco. Males were found to be 7 times (OR 6.94, 95% CI 5.68-8.49) and urban residents twice (OR 2.09, 95% CI 1.73-2.52) more tobacco users than females and those living in rural areas, respectively. From the likelihood ratio test, all variables were found to be statistically significant except for dysglycemia, dyslipidemia and hypertension.Conclusion:The prevalence of tobacco use is high. As a sub paper of a large national survey, this evidence is expected to serve as an important tool to plan larger studies leading in turn to develop strategies for a successful tobacco control program in the country.