PhDUK resident Bangladeshi men pose a public health challenge because of their preference
for traditional tobacco use along side cigarette smoking. Studies investigating UK black
and minority ethnic tobacco use have not had a primary focus on this issue. Furthermore,
the extent and nature of dual tobacco use by Bangladeshi men had not been reliably
established due to a reliance on self-report and a definitional confusion about paan with
and without tobacco. This study aims to establish the prevalence of dual tobacco use by
UK resident Bangladeshi men using a random survey design. It also plans to establish
baseline information for dual tobacco use against the key determinants of a health
inequality model. Psychosocial, health and nicotine related parameters of dual tobacco
users are compared with cigarette only smokers and paan tobacco chewers. Risk factors
for dual tobacco use have been explored through multivariate analysis.
Three hundred and twenty-five men of Bangladeshi origin were randomly selected using
the Tower Hamlets Electoral Register and interviewed at home using a pre piloted
questionnaire incorporating items used in other relevant UK studies. Expired carbon
monoxide readings were recorded using a Bedfont CO monitor.
Dual tobacco was used by 22% of the sample, while 36% smoked cigarette only, 70/0
chewed paan tobacco only, and 350/0 did not use any form of tobacco. When dual tobacco
users were compared with the cigarette smokers in bivariate analysis, there were
significant differences in terms of self reported social class, age, education, employment,
and heath status. A multivariate analysis controlling for age, education status, social class,
self reported health and social capital scores showed tha1 only wife's tobacco use
predicted dual tobacco use (OR=6.3).
The findings from this study confirm the diversity and social nature of dual tobacco use
by UK Bangladeshi men. These observations need to be considered and integrated into
the development and implementation of tobacco cessation interventions for UK
Bangladeshi adults in public health programs
