Women exposed to second-hand smoke more at home than at workplace: An analysis of GATS Report, India, 2009-10.
BACKGROUND
Tobacco smoke has adverse health effects on women of the reproductive age group with serious health implications for the next generation.


OBJECTIVE
This study assessed the prevalence of current active smoking, second-hand smoke (SHS) exposure and the factors influencing smoke exposure in females of the reproductive age group.


METHODS
Data from the nationally representative Global Adult Tobacco Survey-India (GATS 2009) was analyzed for socio demographic variables, tobacco-related variables and knowledge variables.


RESULTS
50.4% of the women in the reproductive age group had been exposed to SHS at home, though only 2.6% of the women were current active smokers. This was more than the SHS exposure at work (21.7%) and elsewhere (32.6%). SHS exposure of the women at home did not vary significantly with knowledge of adverse effects of smoking but was affected by the place of dwelling as the smoke exposure was found to be more among rural women.


CONCLUSIONS
SHS exposure is more prevalent than current active smoking in women of the reproductive age group and that too at home. Thus, policies need to be framed in order to curb this menace which is a vicious one as women don't really have an alternative as far as this exposure is concerned.
Department of Community Medicine, School of Medical Sciences and Research, Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India.
Deepika
D
Agrawal
Department of Community Medicine, PGIMER, Chandigarh, India.
Arun Kumar
AK
Aggarwal
Department of Community Medicine, PGIMER, Chandigarh, India.
Sonu
S
Goel
Knowledge; reproductive age; second-hand smoke; smoking; tobacco