Prevalence and Determinants of Smoking and Smokeless Tobacco in the Rural Population of Karnataka, India

Background: Tobacco is known as a major cause of various preventable non-communicable diseases and kills half of all its users. With a greater prevalence in the rural community compared to the urban, this global health burden is substantially malignant. This study aimed to bridge the gap in the lack of adequate statistical information pertaining to prevalence and determinants of smoking and smokeless tobacco use in the rural population of Karnataka.Subjects and Method: This randomized community interventional study was conducted in primary health center areas of Karnataka, India. A total of 4,576 persons were interviewed (2,087 males and 2,489 females). Subjects ?30 years of age and residents for a minimum of six months were included. Mentally challenged, bedridden or differently abled subjects were excluded. The study employed a validated questionnaire adapted from the WHO STEPS questionnaire concerning demographical information, behavioral, physical, and biochemical measurements. Besides tobacco, informa-tion on use of beedis, cigarettes, and smokeless tobacco products (snuff, chewing tobacco) were also elicited. Data analysis of socio-demographic characteristics (age, educational/ marital/ occupational status) was carried out only for the participants with a current smoking habit. Data were analyzed using SPSS Version 18.0.Results: The overall prevalence rate of current smoking and smokeless tobacco habit in the study population was 54.8% (95%CI= 53.40 to 56.20) and the prevalence rate of ever/past users was 39.7% (95%CI= 38.26 to 41.10). Genderwise analysis predicted a higher prevalence of males currently smoking, and among them, most were 50 to 59 years of age (43.3%), illiterate (42.7%), widowed/ separated (39.8%), unskilled (44%), and semi-skilled workers (30%).Conclusion: Both genders participate in tobacco use, prevalence of smoking was higher among men and consumption of smokeless tobacco was higher among women. Subjects aged 50-59 years, illiterate, divorced/widowed/separated and, involved in unskilled or semi-skilled labor exhibited greater prevalence of tobacco habit compared to other determinants.Keywords: noncommunicable diseases, global health, tobacco use, tobacco smoking, smokeless tobacco. Correspondence: Dinesh Rajaram, Associate Professor. Department of Community Medicine, M.S. Ramaiah Medical college and Hospital, Bengaluru 560054, Karnataka, India. Email id.: [email protected]. Mobile: +919980336893

Prevalence and Determinants of Smoking and Smokeless Tobacco in the Rural Population of Karnataka, India

Background: Tobacco is known as a major cause of various preventable non-communicable diseases and kills half of all its users. With a greater prevalence in the rural community compared to the urban, this global health burden is substantially malignant. This study aimed to bridge the gap in the lack of adequate statistical information pertaining to prevalence and determinants of smoking and smokeless tobacco use in the rural population of Karnataka. Subjects and Method: This randomized community interventional study was conducted in primary health center areas of Karnataka, India. A total of 4,576 persons were interviewed (2,087 males and 2,489 females). Subjects ?30 years of age and residents for a minimum of six months were included. Mentally challenged, bedridden or differently abled subjects were excluded. The study employed a validated questionnaire adapted from the WHO STEPS questionnaire concerning demographical information, behavioral, physical, and biochemical measurements. Besides tobacco, informa-tion on use of beedis, cigarettes, and smokeless tobacco products (snuff, chewing tobacco) were also elicited. Data analysis of socio-demographic characteristics (age, educational/ marital/ occupational status) was carried out only for the participants with a current smoking habit. Data were analyzed using SPSS Version 18.0. Results: The overall prevalence rate of current smoking and smokeless tobacco habit in the study population was 54.8% (95%CI= 53.40 to 56.20) and the prevalence rate of ever/past users was 39.7% (95%CI= 38.26 to 41.10). Genderwise analysis predicted a higher prevalence of males currently smoking, and among them, most were 50 to 59 years of age (43.3%), illiterate (42.7%), widowed/ separated (39.8%), unskilled (44%), and semi-skilled workers (30%). Conclusion: Both genders participate in tobacco use, prevalence of smoking was higher among men and consumption of smokeless tobacco was higher among women. Subjects aged 50-59 years, illiterate, divorced/widowed/separated and, involved in unskilled or semi-skilled labor exhibited greater prevalence of tobacco habit compared to other determinants. Keywords: noncommunicable diseases, global health, tobacco use, tobacco smoking, smokeless tobacco. Correspondence: Dinesh Rajaram, Associate Professor. Department of Community Medicine, M.S. Ramaiah Medical college and Hospital, Bengaluru 560054, Karnataka, India. Email id.: [email protected]. Mobile: +919980336893. Journal of Epidemiology and Public Health (2023), 08(01): 15-24 https://doi.org/10.26911/jepublichealth.2023.08.01.02

An explorative study of the differences in feeding patterns of children with and without disabilities in a rural community in Karnataka.

Background: Children with disabilities are nutritionally vulnerable due to feeding difficulties associated with disabilities. Aim & Objective: To investigate factors associated with feeding difficulties in children with/without disabilities. Settings and Design: A cross-sectional analytical study was undertaken in the rural field practice area of a medical college in Karnataka. Methods and Material: Data collected on 145 children with disability and 145 neighbors/sibling/ classmates of the child using a pretested semi-structured questionnaire was analyzed using SPSS 20.0 Statistical analysis: Difficulties faced by feeding children with/without disabilities were expressed in percentages. Chi-square test was used to determine the association between feeding time, challenges encountered, and need for assistance p (<0.05). Results: The mothers mostly assisted feeding. Significant differences in need for support among children with disabilities 19 (13.5%) and without disabilities 3(2.1%) during meals and time taken to feed were seen. The most common difficulty was the improper position 13(9.0%) among children with disabilities. Conclusions: Mother is the significant person involved in feeding children with & without disabilities. Help in feeding, improper position of the child, vomiting tendency while feeding was more common with children with disabilities than without disabilities. Disabled children, Intellectual disability, Vomiting, Caregivers

Evaluation Of Cold Chain Practices in Urban Health Centers of a Metro City in India

Background: National Family Health Survey report (NFHS)-3 reports revealed that immunization coverage in India among children between 12-23 months was low at 43.5%. In lieu of strengthening Routine Immunization (RI), Government of Karnataka undertook state-wide training of Medical officers and Health workers on RI with concurrent efforts of strengthening cold chain system in health centers. With this background, this study was undertaken to assess the cold chain practices in urban health centers of Bangalore city. Methodology: This Cross-sectional study was conducted during October-December 2008 in three-zones of Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) covering 35 units. Physical verification of the available cold chain equipments was done using predesigned pretested checklist and face to face interview of cold chain handlers was employed. Results: Of 35 centers, 33(94%) and 32(91%) of them had atleast one functional Ice-lined refrigerator(ILR) and one deep freezer(DF) respectively. Good storage code practice was practiced in 12 out of 33 ILRs. Functional thermometer was available in 31(91%) ILRs of which 23(74%) had temperature in the recommend range. With respect to knowledge of cold chain handlers on RI, 86% were trained on RI and their overall knowledge regarding cold chain practices was satisfactory except for knowledge on temperature in DF and on conditioning of ice-packs. Conclusion: Availability of cold chain equipments has improved and Cold storage practice was good/fair in most of the centers. Knowledge of cold chain handlers was low with respect to select cold chain practices

Body Mass Index and Its Association With Selected Risk Factors for Non-Communicable Diseases in a Rural Area in Karnataka, India

"Background: Body Mass Index (BMI) has been shown to be an important predictor of risk of non- communicable diseases (NCDs) and associated with risk factors for NCDs This study was conducted to determine the association of BMI with sociodemographic, biochemical (fasting glucose, lipid profile), blood pressure and anthropometric (waist hip measurements) risk factors for NCDs in a rural area. Methods: This cross sectional study was conducted in a village in Karnataka, through a house-to-house survey of persons and #8805; 18 years of age, employing a questionnaire and laboratory investigations. Anthropometric measurements, blood pressure, fasting blood glucose and lipid profile was measured. Findings: Of the 585 subjects, 45%, 25.3%, 29.7% were in normal, underweight and pre-obese/obese BMI categories respectively. Prevalence of hypertriglyceridemia, abnormal HDL, systolic hypertension ( and #8805; 140mmHg), diastolic hypertension ( and #8805; 90mmHg) was 17.7%, 72.6%, 7.5% and 10.3% respectively In the pre-obese/obese category, 72.5% had abnormal waist circumference and WHR (41%) respectively. Association of BMI with gender, age, waist-hip ratio, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, fasting triglycerides (all P = 0.001) and HDL (P = 0.038) was observed. Conclusion: BMI was associated with increased waist circumference, dyslipidemia, increased fasting blood glucose and hypertension and are serious health problems in rural India also. [Natl J Community Med 2016; 7(5.000): 435-441