Smokeless tobacco initiation, use and cessation in South Asia: a qualitative assessment

TY - JOUR

T1 - Smokeless tobacco initiation, use and cessation in South Asia

T2 - a qualitative assessment

AU - Siddiqui, Faraz

AU - Croucher, Ray

AU - Ahmad, Fayaz

AU - Ahmed, Zarak

AU - Babu, Roshani

AU - Bauld, Linda

AU - Fieroze, Fariza

AU - Huque, Rumana

AU - Kellar, Ian

AU - Kumar, Anuj

AU - Lina, Silwa

AU - Mubashir, Maira

AU - Nethan, Suzanne Tanya

AU - Rizvi, Narjis

AU - Siddiqi, Kamran

AU - Kumar Singh, Prashant

AU - Thomson, Heather

AU - Jackson, Cath

N1 - © The Author(s) 2021. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco.

PY - 2021/10/1

Y1 - 2021/10/1

N2 - INTRODUCTION: Smokeless tobacco (ST) is a significant South Asian public health problem. This paper reports a qualitative study of a sample of South Asian ST users. METHODS: Interviews, using a piloted topic guide, with 33 consenting, urban dwelling adult ST users explored their ST initiation, continued use, and cessation attempts. Framework data analysis was used to analyze country specific data before a thematic cross-country synthesis was completed. RESULTS: Participants reported long-term ST use and high dependency. All reported strong cessation motivation and multiple failed attempts because of ease of purchasing ST, tobacco dependency, and lack of institutional support. CONCLUSIONS: Interventions to support cessation attempts among consumers of South Asian ST products should address the multiple challenges of developing an integrated ST policy, including cessation services. IMPLICATIONS: This study provides detailed understanding of the barriers and drivers to ST initiation, use, and cessation for users in Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan. It is the first study to directly compare these three countries. The insight was then used to adapt an existing behavioral support intervention for ST cessation for testing in these countries.

AB - INTRODUCTION: Smokeless tobacco (ST) is a significant South Asian public health problem. This paper reports a qualitative study of a sample of South Asian ST users. METHODS: Interviews, using a piloted topic guide, with 33 consenting, urban dwelling adult ST users explored their ST initiation, continued use, and cessation attempts. Framework data analysis was used to analyze country specific data before a thematic cross-country synthesis was completed. RESULTS: Participants reported long-term ST use and high dependency. All reported strong cessation motivation and multiple failed attempts because of ease of purchasing ST, tobacco dependency, and lack of institutional support. CONCLUSIONS: Interventions to support cessation attempts among consumers of South Asian ST products should address the multiple challenges of developing an integrated ST policy, including cessation services. IMPLICATIONS: This study provides detailed understanding of the barriers and drivers to ST initiation, use, and cessation for users in Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan. It is the first study to directly compare these three countries. The insight was then used to adapt an existing behavioral support intervention for ST cessation for testing in these countries.

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85116957377&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1093/ntr/ntab065

DO - 10.1093/ntr/ntab065

M3 - Article

C2 - 33844008

AN - SCOPUS:85116957377

SN - 1462-2203

VL - 23

SP - 1801

EP - 1804

JO - Nicotine & tobacco research

JF - Nicotine & tobacco research

IS - 10

ER -