DOI: 10.36347/sjams.2015.v03i04.030

Pages: 1752-1755

The negative impact of tobacco smoking on health is highly significant. During the previous five decades, mortality from tobacco use was approximately 70 million and it is estimated that in the next five decades another 450 million might die due to smoking related diseases. Medical advice to quit produces 1 year abstinence rates of up to 5‑10%, which would have a significant public health impact if it were provided. There are few studies conducted regarding prevalence and characteristics of tobacco smoking in this region. Hence the present study. This was a cross sectional study conducted in a tertiary care hospital in South India from March 2013 to April 2015. Samples were collected from patients attending General medicine and Pulmonology clinic. All patients (25-50 years) current smoking, defined as persons who have smoked cigarettes on one or more days during the 30-day period before the survey were included in the study. The prevalence of smoking in the present study was 28.2%. The most common reason for smoking was relief of stress followed by leisure. With regard to awareness regarding hazards of smoking, lung cancer and other lung disease were most common hazards known by respondents. In the present study 62% of the respondents were willing to quit smoking, most common reasons being health issues and for religious reasons. The high prevalence rate of smoking points towards the fact that mere knowledge about the health hazards is not sufficient to stop smoking. So there is a need to develop effective health education and multi-factorial tobacco quitting strategies like counseling on smoking cessation, act of legislation, community-based education programs and tobacco tax policy with focus on help and support for those who wish to quit smoking. Medical and other health colleges should provide educational programs and teach specific courses on cessation of smoking.