title: Smokeless tobacco consumption in a multi-ethnic community in Pakistan: a cross-sectional study.
abstract: Smokeless tobacco is commonly used in south Asia. In addition to causing oral and pharyngeal cancers, its harmful effects are comparable to smoking tobacco. A cross-sectional survey with systematic sampling was conducted in 2010-2011 to investigate smokeless tobacco use in a multi-ethnic, semi-urban population in Islamabad, Pakistan (n = 2030). The prevalence of smokeless tobacco use was 16.0% (21.6% among males and 8.8% among females); 51.7% of smokeless tobacco users were also cigarette smokers. The rate of smokeless tobacco use was comparatively high among Pakhtun males (38.2%) and Sindhi females (22.4%). The associations between smokeless tobacco use and ethnicity, age group, income level and cigarette smoking were statistically significant among male smokeless tobacco users. Of the sample 41.4% (840/2030) had inadequate knowledge about the health problems associated with smokeless tobacco. Appropriate interventions are needed to raise awareness of the health risks and to prevent smokeless tobacco use.
authors: Department of Health Sciences, University of York, York, United Kingdom.
authors: S M
authors: SM
authors: Abbas
authors: King Fahad Hospital, Al Ahsa, Saudi Arabia.
authors: A Y
authors: AY
authors: Alam
authors: Department of Health Sciences, University of York, York, United Kingdom.
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Usman
authors: Department of Health Sciences, Hull York Medical School, University of York, York, United Kingdom.
authors: K
authors: K
authors: Siddiqi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010154:Pakistan / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology; D015995:Prevalence; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology; D014030:Tobacco, Smokeless / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*