Longitudinal study of adolescent tobacco use and tobacco control policies in India

Abstract

BackgroundThis project will use a multilevel longitudinal cohort study design to assess whether changes in Community Tobacco Environmental (CTE) factors, measured as community compliance with tobacco control policies and community density of tobacco vendors and tobacco advertisements, are associated with adolescent tobacco use in urban India. India’s tobacco control policies regulate secondhand smoke exposure, access to tobacco products and exposure to tobacco marketing. Research data about the association between community level compliance with tobacco control policies and youth tobacco use are largely unavailable, and are needed to inform policy enforcement, implementation and development.MethodsThe geographic scope will include Mumbai and Kolkata, India. The study protocol calls for an annual comprehensive longitudinal population-based tobacco use risk and protective factors survey in a cohort of 1820 adolescents ages 12–14 years (and their parent) from baseline (Wave 1) to 36-month follow-up (Wave 4). Geographic Information Systems data collection will be used to map tobacco vendors, tobacco advertisements, availability of e-cigarettes, COTPA defined public places, and compliance with tobacco sale, point-of-sale and smoke-free laws. Finally, we will estimate the longitudinal associations between CTE factors and adolescent tobacco use, and assess whether the associations are moderated by family level factors, and mediated by individual level factors.DiscussionIndia experiences a high burden of disease and mortality from tobacco use. To address this burden, significant long-term prevention and control activities need to include the joint impact of policy, community and family factors on adolescent tobacco use onset. The findings from this study can be used to guide the development and implementation of future tobacco control policy designed to minimize adolescent tobacco use.

Prevalence and predictors of tobacco use among currently married pregnant women in India

“…But frequent visits made by pregnant women for antenatal care could be opportunistically used for cessation advice. However, there is no provision for cessation services in antenatal clinics 26 .…”

Tobacco Cessation Among Youths in Eastern India: Evidence from National Family Health Survey 2015–2016

“…Eastern region has a high disease and mortality from tobacco use. To address this burden, the impact of policy and domestic factors on the onset of youth tobacco use is necessary (Mistry et al, 2018).…”

Estimation of the prevalence of tobacco consumption among rural women in South India using mixed methods analysis

“…[ 14 16 17 18 ] This could be due to the prevailing sociocultural practices in the region, wherein women never smoke as it is being considered a wrong and an unhealthy practice. [ 4 7 17 19 ]…”

“…Tobacco consumption has been linked with the development of variety of illnesses. [ 1 2 3 4 ] Even though, tobacco consumption has been quite common among men, the past few decades have witnessed a rapid surge among women as well. [ 5 6 7 ] The epidemiological analysis of various studies has revealed that women not only have a short latent period from the initiation of substance use to the onset or progression of the substance use disorders but are also even more susceptible to the adverse medical, psychiatric, and social consequences.…”