Assessment of Knowledge, Attitude, Behaviour and Interpersonal Factors Related to the Use of Tobacco among Youth of Udaipur City, Rajasthan, India: A Cross-Sectional Study

BACKGROUND: Tobacco is the most important preventable cause of disease burden and death all over the world. Apart from being the single most important determinant of cancer and cardiovascular diseases, smoking is also a threat to oral health. The Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS) as a part of Global Tobacco Surveillance System (GTSS) was developed to monitor tobacco use, elicit attitudes about tobacco, and obtain information on exposure to tobacco smoke among youth. This study aimed to assess the prevalence, knowledge, attitude, behaviour and interpersonal factors related to the use of tobacco among youth of Udaipur city, Rajasthan, India. METHODS: This study was conducted among 1031, 15 to 25 year old youths studying in the different colleges of Udaipur city, Rajasthan, India. The Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS) core questionnaire was used. Simple descriptive statistics were used for the data. FINDINGS: Out of the total 1031 participants (mean age: 19.55 ± 1.35), 632 (61.2%) were men (mean age: 19.66 ± 1.36) and 399 (38.7%) were women (mean age: 19.35 ± 1.35). 493 (47.8%) were current tobacco users, the majority of which were men 411 (39.8%). 122 (11.8%) had a previous history of tobacco use, while 416 (40.3%) reported that they had never used tobacco in any form. The majority of the men, 305 (29.5%), were consuming tobacco daily. Majority of current, 152 (30.8%), and ever tobacco users, 122 (41.8%), smoke and chew gutkha at places of entertainment followed by smoking or chewing at school/college premises. The majority of them bought gutkha themselves, 292 (47.4%). Moreover, the majority of current tobacco users, 298 (72.5%) men and 82 (100%) women, wanted to stop smoking /gutkha chewing. CONCLUSION: The present study indicates that there is a high prevalence of use of tobacco among youth of Udaipur city, Rajasthan, India.