Factors Associated with Smoking and Smokeless Tobacco Use, Intention to Quit, and the Number of Cigarettes Smoked among Adults with High Blood Pressure in a Rural District of Bangladesh

Abstract

The current research is an initial investigation aimed at reporting the factors associated with smoking tobacco, smokeless tobacco (SLT) use, the number of cigarettes smoked, and the intention to quit smoking. A total of 307 adults aged 30 to 75 years with high blood pressure were recruited as part of a cluster RCT from a rural area in Bangladesh. The outcome variables included the number of cigarettes smoked per day, intentions to quit smoking, and SLT use. We used Rasch analysis and regression analysis. A low level of education and older age were associated with smoking tobacco and SLT use, respectively. The 62 smokers smoked 9.6 cigarettes or bidi on average per day, and 54 (87%) knew that smoking was associated with cancer. Overall, 41.6% of farmers compared to 58.9% of employees and 53% of people with no education compared to 75% of people with a higher education intended to quit smoking and SLT use. Our research contributes to the evidence that increasing education increases the intention to quit smoking and identifies population groups that could benefit from targeted public health campaigns. Health education programs are needed to increase motivation to quit smoking, especially among farmers, and to reduce SLT use among women and elderly people.