High prevalence of current tobacco smoking among patients with tuberculosis and persons living with HIV in Jordan: Cross-sectional Study (Preprint)

Abstract

Continuing to smoke tobacco products by patients with tuberculosis (TB) and people living with HIV (PLHIV) leads to adverse TB and HIV treatment outcomes, respectively. There are few estimates of tobacco use among patients with TB and PLHIV in countries in the Middle East region where the burden of TB and HIV is also low but highly variable.

The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of current tobacco smoking among patients with TB and PLHIV In Jordan and to assess the association between socio-demographic characteristics and current smoking.

We analysed data from the knowledge, attitude, and practice survey conducted in Jordan in 2021. In this survey information about current tobacco smoking was collected from 452 patients with TB and 152 PLHIV. The data collected on current smoking also included products and frequency of smoking. Multivariable logistic regression was used to assess the sociodemographic characteristics that were independently associated with current smoking.

The prevalence of current tobacco smoking among patients with TB and PLHIV were 43.8% (198/452) and 67.8 % (103/152), respectively. Cigarettes are the most commonly used tobacco products. The prevalence of current tobacco use among patients with TB was higher among males (71%, 142/201) when compared to females (22%, 56/251), those aged >18 years (45%, 194/434) when compared with those less than 18 years (22%, 4/18), Jordanians (53%, 143/271), Syrians (48%, 26/54) and Palestinians (45%, 5/11) when compared to people from other nationalities (21%, 24/116), those experiencing financial difficulties (56%, 117/208) when compared to those without financial difficulties (33%, 81/244) and among those employed (47%, 100/214) than in those unemployed (41%, 98/238). The prevalence of current tobacco use among PLHIV were higher in males (76%, 94/123) when compared to females (31%, 9/29) and those with financial difficulties (73%, 68/93) when compared to those without financial difficulty (59%, 35/59).

Nearly half of the patients with TB and PLHIV in Jordan were current tobacco smokers. There is an urgent need to introduce/strengthen smoking cessation services under the TB and HIV control programmes in the country.