Motivations for continued tobacco smoking and reasons for quitting among youths in Wakiso district, Uganda: A qualitative study

Abstract

Abstract Background: Efforts have been invested towards cessation of tobacco use among youths aged 18-35 years, however, motivators for continued tobacco smoking and reasons for quitting are limited in Ugandan settings. Therefore, this study aimed to explore motivations for continued tobacco smoking and reasons for quitting in Wakiso district Uganda Methods: This study used explanatory sequential method. Data from a Population-based survey collected between October 2019 and September 2020 was used to select the sample to participate in this qualitative study. A total of twenty-three in-depths interviews were conducted in July-October 2021 among youths (18-35) years who reported continued tobacco use and those who stopped. Data were analyzed using a team-based thematic content approach with the help of ATILAS ti. Results: Motivations for continued tobacco smoking can include addiction, (recurrent habit), the desire to complement the use of other drugs,, peer pressure, using smoking as a replacement for alcohol consumption, (desire to stop/reduce alcohol consumption), low tobacco prices (accessibility), and cultural or familial norms (inherited from parents). However, strategies such as education on the health risks of smoking, the use of warning labels on packaging, and the potential for embarrassment from family members can help to discourage youth from using tobacco. Conclusion: Targeted, and tailored tobacco prevention counselling through family support programs, intensified health education on the risks of smoking, and promotion of tobacco packing health warnings can be employed to reduce or stop tobacco use among urban youth