Knowledge, attitude and practices regarding smoking amongst young females

Authors

  • Isha Singh Student, UIAMS, Panjab University, Chandigarh, India
  • Manjushri Sharma Department of Hospital Management, University Institute of Applied Management Sciences, Panjab University, Chandigarh, India
  • Isha Sharma Student, UIAMS, Panjab University, Chandigarh, India
  • Pooja Sharma Student, UIAMS, Panjab University, Chandigarh, India
  • Kranti Garg Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Government Medical College, Patiala, Panjab, India
  • Deepali . Student, Government Medical College and Hospital, Chandigarh, India

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18203/2320-6012.ijrms20201342

Keywords:

Females, Smoking, Smoking cessation, Smoking hazards

Abstract

Background: Smoking amongst women is increasing in the developing countries like India. There is paucity of data on the knowledge, attitude and practices of smoking amongst females in India. Hence a study was planned to assess the same.

Methods: It was a qualitative research using descriptive questionnaire, prepared using the basic protocols available as per WHO Global Adult Tobacco Survey, conducted by self-reporting, from February to March, 2018 in the University Institute of Applied Management Sciences, Panjab University, Chandigarh. It was administered to 111 females aged 18 to 35 years, residing in Chandigarh.

Results: Total22.5% of the female respondents were current smokers. Majority of them belonged to the age group of 26-35years; were either employed or were studying and felt that females resorted to smoking for gaining pleasure and relieving stress. Most of them were aware of passive smoking. Majority felt that people who smoke should quit for their own health and for their families and street plays, public awareness camps, television and cinema halls are important mediums for helping to quit. Will power be found to be most important to help smokers quit. Some quoted the role of nicotine replacement therapy, exercise, individual counseling etc also. Majority of the females started smoking early, at an age of 16-25years, consuming 1-10cigarettes per day and had been smoking since more than a year when interviewed. Smoking was primarily introduced by peers. All the smokers were aware of different types of smoking hazards, most commonly reported as cancer and asthma. 16/25 smokers wanted to quit and 14/16 had tried in the past but were unsuccessful.

Conclusions: This study gives an indication of rising smoking trend in females. Smoking cessation measures need to be made more gender-sensitive, targeting females in their early ages.

References

(Global Adult Tobacco Survey) Fact Sheet, India, 2016-17. Available at: https://www.who.int/tobacco/surveillance/survey/gats/GATS_India_2016-17_FactSheet.pdf. Accessed 20 January 2020.

Ng M, Freeman MK, Fleming TD, Robinson M, Dwyer-Lindgren L, Thomson B, et al. Smoking prevalence and cigarette consumption in 187 countries, 1980-2012. JAMA. 2014 Jan 8;311(2):183-92.

WHO report on the global tobacco epidemic 2017. Available at: https://www.who.int/tobacco/global_report/2017/en/ Accessed 20 January 2020.

Warren CW, Jones NR, Eriksen MP, Asma S, Global Tobacco Surveillance System (GTSS) collaborative group. Patterns of global tobacco use in young people and implications for future chronic disease burden in adults. Lancet. 2006 Mar 4;367(9512):749-53.

Tobacco questions for surveys. A subset of key questions from the Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS). Available at: https://www.who.int/tobacco/publications/surveillance/tqs/en/ Accessed 20 January 2020.

Reitan T, Callinan S. Changes in smoking rates among pregnant women and the general female population in Australia, Finland, Norway, and Sweden. Nicotine Tobacco Res. 2017 Mar 1;19(3):282-9.

Thun M, Peto R, Boreham J, Lopez AD. Stages of the cigarette epidemic on entering its second century. Tobacco Cont. 2012 Mar 1;21(2):96-101.

Meltzer LR, Simmons VN, Sutton SK, Drobes DJ, Quinn GP, Meade CD, et al. A randomized controlled trial of a smoking cessation self-help intervention for dual users of tobacco cigarettes and e-cigarettes: Intervention development and research design. Contemp Clin Trials. 2017 Sep 1;60:56-62.

Moon-Howard J. African American women and smoking: starting later. AmJ Pub Health. 2003 Mar;93(3):418-20.

Thompson AB, Moon-Howard J, Messeri PA. Smoking cessation advantage among adult initiators: Does it apply to black women?. Nicotine Tobacco Res. 2011 Jan 1;13(1):15-21.

Jha P, Ramasundarahettige C, Landsman V, Rostron B, Thun M, Anderson RN, et al. 21st-century hazards of smoking and benefits of cessation in the United States. New Eng J Med. 2013 Jan 24;368(4):341-50.

Thompson AB, Mowery PD, Tebes JK, McKee SA. Time trends in smoking onset by sex and race/ethnicity among adolescents and young adults: findings from the 2006-2013 National Survey on Drug Use and Health. Nicotine Tobacco Res. 2018 Feb 7;20(3):312-20.

King G, Polednak A, Bendel RB, Vilsaint MC, Nahata SB. Disparities in smoking cessation between African Americans and Whites: 1990-2000. Am J Pub Health. 2004 Nov;94(11):1965-71.

Thompson AB, Tebes JK, McKee SA. Gender differences in age of smoking initiation and its association with health. Addic Res Theory. 2015 Sep 25;23(5):413-20.

The World health report: 2003 - World Health Organization Available at: https://www.who.int/whr/2003/en/whr03_en.pdf. Accessed 20 January 2020.

Downloads

Published

2020-03-26

How to Cite

Singh, I., Sharma, M., Sharma, I., Sharma, P., Garg, K., & ., D. (2020). Knowledge, attitude and practices regarding smoking amongst young females. International Journal of Research in Medical Sciences, 8(4), 1458–1462. https://doi.org/10.18203/2320-6012.ijrms20201342

Issue

Section

Original Research Articles