Comparison of Tobacco Consumption among Adults in SAARC Countries (Pakistan, India and Bangladesh).

OBJECTIVE

To compare the findings of Global adult tobacco surveys (GATS) conducted in SAARC Countries.

METHODS

The national representative data from Pakistan, India, and Bangladesh was used as GATS was done in these three countries of SAARC. The key variables were selected where information was consistently taken like current smokers, smokeless tobacco users, exposure to second-hand smoke, advise by health care provider to quit, monthly expenditure and noticing of health warning label and other information related to daily tobacco users (smoke, smokeless) mean age of initiation and mean number of cigarettes consumed per day were also collected. Chi-square test was applied and p-value was considered significant at <0.05.

RESULTS

Overall tobacco consumption was significantly high (43.3%) in Bangladesh (Pakistan 19.1% and India 34.6%). Similarly, current smokers were significantly more in Bangladesh 23% (India 14% and Pakistan 12%) and smokeless tobacco was significantly more in Bangladesh 27.2% (India 25.9% and Pakistan 7.7%). Exposure to second-hand smoke at work was 69.1% in Pakistan (63% in Bangladesh and 29.9% in India). Monthly expenditure on cigarettes was also high in Pakistan 7.51 USD (India 6.26 USD and Bangladesh 4.57USD). Mean age of initiation was 18.8 years in Bangladesh, (17.8 India and 18.7 Pakistan). Mean number of cigarettes consumed was significantly high in Pakistan i.e. 13.6 (6.2 in India and 5.1 Bangladesh).

CONCLUSIONS

All the three South Asian countries have a high prevalence of tobacco consumption. Tobacco use was high in Bangladesh but smokeless tobacco among males was high in India and mean number of cigarettes daily was high in Pakistan.