An epidemiological study of oral tobacco use amongst urban slum inhabitants in a town from central urban India

Abstract

Background: Smokeless tobacco users receive levels of nicotine known to be addictive, and clinical symptoms of dependency and withdrawal for smokeless tobacco are identical to those for cigarettes. Smokeless tobacco usage patterns share significant parallels with patterns of use of other addictive drugs. Because everyone spits after using oral tobacco, there are more persons who spit in public due toits use. Use of smokeless tobacco during pregnancy increases the chance of low-birth-weight babies by two to three times and is linked to stillbirths. Other negative health implications of smokeless tobacco use include dental decay, gum recession, high blood pressure, oral sub-mucous fibrosis (OSF), a crippling disorder, and mouth and food pipe malignancies. This warrants the study of patterns of oral tobacco use and its determinants in urban slum areas. Objective: To estimate the prevalence and patterns of oral tobacco use and assess the motivating and demotivating factors associated with it amongst urban slum inhabitants. Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study will be conducted in the urban field practice area of a tertiary care hospital. A semi-structured questionnaire assessing the socio-demographic profile, prevalence and pattern associated factors for oral tobacco use among the study participants will be implemented. Study implications: This study will help to determine the prevalence and pattern of oral tobacco use, as well as the motivating and demotivating factors that contribute to oral tobacco use. Insights gained shall be useful to implement focussed prevention strategies.