title: Tobacco use and cardiovascular disease: a knowledge, attitude and practice study in rural Kerala.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Tobacco consumption, either in smokeless form or as smoking, is reported to be responsible for major non-communicable diseases, namely, cardiovascular diseases, chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases and cancers. Whatsoever control strategy is being used, the community participation is of utmost importance, which will depend largely on the level of the knowledge in the community.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess the knowledge and attitude of a rural community towards the harmful effects of tobacco use.
  
  
  METHODS
  Venganoor Gram Panchayat of Thiruvananthapuram district of Kerala; cross-sectional study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Interview schedule was used to collect the information on pre-designed and pre-tested proforma. The information recorded, included the demographic characteristics and socio-economic characteristics. The awareness regarding tobacco use and the attitude towards its non-usage was done, by putting forward, open and closed-ended questions.
  
  
  METHODS
  Percentages and proportions; t-test; chi-square test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The present study included 302 (64.7%) females and 165 (35.3%) males. Among the males, 44 (38.5%) were ever smokers. Though 451 (96.6%) of the subjects knew that tobacco use is harmful for health, only 101 (22.5%) of the subjects knew that it causes cardiovascular diseases. Electronic and print media were the common source of such knowledge being reported by 265 (58.7%) and 202 (44.7%) subjects, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The subjects were aware about the harmful effects of tobacco use. However, more efforts are needed to make them aware about the role of tobacco smoking and chewing, in causing cardiac problems.
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Occupational Health, Meghani Nagar, Ahmedabad, India. rajtiwari2810@yahoo.co.in
authors.forename: Rajnarayan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tiwari
authors.forename: Pankaj
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Deb
authors.forename: Aghore
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Debbarma
authors.forename: Rupali
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Chaudhuri
authors.forename: Amita
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chakraborty
authors.forename: Mickyla
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lepcha
authors.forename: Gita
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Chakraborty
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012424:Rural Population; D014029:Tobacco Use Disorder / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology