Smokeless tobacco prevalence among male and female in the empowered action group (EAG) states in India 2009-2010

This paper is an attempt to find the prevalence of different types of Smokeless Tobacco (ST) products use among male and female, in their age at start consumption and which factors are associated with smokeless tobacco users in EAG states. This study is based on the data from the Global Adult Tobacco Survey India (GATS India). GATS India was carried out in all 29 states and the two union territories of Chandigarh and Pondicherry, covering about 99.9 percent of the total population of India. Findings reveal that prevalence of ST among male is very high comparatively female in EAG States. In Urban male and female differentials in the prevalence of ST among male is considerably higher, in rural areas the use of ST is very common which is almost 46 percent among male and 26 percent among female, whereas in urban area 35 percent among male and 16 percent among female. In the male age group 15-24 years addicted to ST 44 percent when their age at <15 years and 33 percent of age between 15-18 years, the study depicts 77 percent of young males addicted to ST their early age of before 18 years. Hence greater concentration is essential to strengthen the use of evidence based policies for control of Smokeless Tobacco (ST) use, which could include having tobacco industries disclose the contents of ST products and more research is necessary in order to develop country-specific ST intervention programs and to explore the best ways to make these interventions accessible to ST (Smokeless Tobacco) users.