Tobacco Usage among Males in Rural Tamil Nadu, India: A Cross-sectional Study

Background: Knowing the prevalence of tobacco use and the socio-demographic profile of users might prove useful in further strengthening the information, education, communicationand regulatory activities, thereby by decreasing tobacco use. The objective was to study the prevalence and pattern of tobacco use among rural men aged 18 years and above in rural area of Tamil Nadu. Methods: A cross sectional study was performed among 714 males aged 18 years and above in Vadagarai village of Tamil Nadu during 2010 and interviewed with a pretested questionnaire. Systematic random sampling was used to select the participants. Results: Prevalence of smoking was found to be 36.7%. Cigarette smoking was more common than beedi and smokeless tobacco. Conclusion: Strict enforcement of anti-tobacco legislation and awareness measures targeting ill-effects of tobacco can be intensified to reduce tobacco related morbidity and mortality.