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An Epidemiological Study of Smoking Among Adult Males in a Rural Area of Hooghly District, West Bengal, India

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 February 2012

Indranil Saha*
Affiliation:
Department of Community Medicine, R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital, Kolkata, India. [email protected]
Bobby Paul
Affiliation:
Department of Community Medicine, Institute of Post Graduate Medical Education and Research, Kolkata, India.
Tushar Kanti Dey
Affiliation:
Department of Epidemiology, All India Institute of Hygiene and Public Health, Kolkata, India.
*
*Address for correspondence: Indranil Saha, P-19 Jadavpur University Employees' Housing Co-operative Society Ltd., P.O.-Panchasayar, Kolkata 700 094, West Bengal. PIN: 700 094.

Abstract

A community-based cross-sectional study was undertaken in a rural community of West Bengal, India among 329 adult males, during April to June, 2004 to find out the prevalence, characteristics of smoking and attitude of smokers towards quitting. 29.8% (98), 61.7% (203) and 8.5% (28) were found to be current, never and former smokers respectively. Among current smokers, 79.4% had started smoking before the age of 24 years. 23% of smokers cited the reason for smoking was to concentrate at work and to relieve anger and frustration. 53.8% wanted to quit smoking but lack of willpower (28.2%) became the major hindrance to quitting. 58.9% were uncertain about continuing smoking. Smoking is commonly practised in rural area of West Bengal, starting at quite an early age; hence awareness and health education needs to be stressed, so that prevention can be initiated.

Type
Articles
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2008

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