A study to evaluate the knowledge and belief regarding tobacco consumption among the non-teaching staff members working in four heath institutes in Hingna

Background: In a developing country like India, where illiteracy is high, tobacco is the leading cause of mortality estimated to have killed hundreds of people. The emergence of tobacco-related diseases is a growing public health problem. The increased risks for diseases like cardiac diseases, lung cancer, oral and pharyngeal cancers, and tuberculosis are shared by both men and women who consume tobacco. One in two males and one in ten females in India use tobacco in some or the other form. A large number of awareness programs are conducted especially in the health institutes regarding ill effects of tobacco, despite which it is observed that the non-teaching staff members working in the same institutes are regularly consuming tobacco. Therefore, this study is being carried out to assess the level of knowledge regarding the same in these people (non-teaching staff members) who mainly belong to the lower socioeconomic group. Aim: To evaluate the level of awareness regarding tobacco consumption among the non-teaching staff members of four health institutes in Hingna. Materials and Methods: The study was interview based using a validated questionnaire consisting of closed-ended questions to evaluate the knowledge regarding tobacco consumption among the non-teaching staff members of four health institutes (medical, dental, physiotherapy, and nursing colleges in Hingna). A trained interviewer interviewed one subject at a time in person and the questions were asked in Marathi or Hindi depending on subjects' choice. The study population included 600 non-teaching staff members (300 males and 300 females) irrespective of their age. Results: Out of the total 600 subjects, the number of people who consumed tobacco was 387 of which 175 were females and 212 were males. It was evident from the results of the questionnaire study that even though moderate amount of awareness was present among the non-teaching staff members, they still did not refrain from the use of tobacco. Conclusion: Awareness programs must be undertaken to educate the non-teaching population about the ill effects of tobacco consumption and further studies should be undertaken to evaluate a larger number of people.