Title : Evaluation of prevalence and pattern of tobacco use in yenagoa city in bayelsa state south of nigeria
Abstract:
Introduction/Objectives: Tobacco use is a significant public health concern. It is a risk factor for most leading causes of death, and its health impacts span from conception to adulthood. One person dies every six seconds due to tobacco-related disease globally. This study examines the prevalence and patterns of tobacco use among citizens of Yenagoa City, Bayelsa State, Nigeria.
Method: The study used qualitative and quantitative approaches to explore the prevalence and pattern of tobacco use among the participants. A snowball sampling technique was utilized in the study. The target population consisted of all participants who make use of tobacco and tobacco products in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State. All the participants who use tobacco were eligible for this study, irrespective of their ethnic affiliations, religious background, gender, and age. A validated in-house questionnaire and interviews with participants were used to collect data from participants. Ethical approval was sought from the Ministry of Health, Bayelsa State, ethical committee.
Results: This study reveals that cigarettes are the most common (96.4%) tobacco product used. This study's results suggest that most participants (83.8%) were in their mid-twenties (16-25 years). They were a mix of adolescents and adults. The majority (76%) did not use tobacco before the start of their secondary education. Also, 26.6% of the participants feel it is impossible to quit the use of tobacco, while 73.4% reported that they are willing to accept help to stop the use of tobacco products if made available. As regards the knowledge of the health impact of tobacco, 94% acknowledged that it is a harmful practice and that there is no safe form of tobacco. However, the knowledge of tobacco products and their adverse health effects varies among respondents. There was a statistically significant difference between participants' knowledge of tobacco effects with education level (????2 = 43.487; df = 2; p < 0.001). This might be connected to the level of education of the participants. Furthermore, most of the participants (94%) claimed that using tobacco impacts their daily activities.
Discussion: The above-related study results suggest addiction to the use of tobacco products in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, Nigeria. The source of procurement and poor enforcement from the regulatory agencies might be implicated on this reported high prevalence and abuse of tobacco products in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, Nigeria. This study recommends that banning the sale of tobacco and tobacco products in corner shops could be beneficial, as it would help reduce the source of procurement, and the number of deaths and illnesses caused by smoking.
Keywords: Harmful effects; Decreased life expectancy; Deaths and illnesses; Tobacco; Smoking behavior; Tobacco hazards; Secondhand smoke; Lung cancer and cardiovascular disease.
