Smoking Dynamics: Factors Supplementing Tobacco Smoking in Pakistan

Abstract

Smoking tobacco is not only a public health issue but also has severe economic connotations too. Due to substantial economic and health effects of tobacco pandemic, it is now an urgent and obvious public health priority worldwide. Increased rate of its usage in Pakistan has negatively impacted people's health, families, and society. In order to cure issue, there is need to find factors responsible for pervasiveness of tobacco use in Pakistan. Thus, study will explore determinants of tobacco smoking in Pakistan. Study uses Pakistan demographic and health survey data. Analysis comprises of theoretical reasoning, association tests, and logistic regression. In analysis, tobacco use has been used as dependent variable, while age, occupation, region, place of residence, household wealth status, and education level have been used as independent variables. Results indicate that odds of any kind of tobacco use are highest for Punjab, it is more prevalent in urban areas, highest odds are for people 40 years of age and above, lowest odds are for people with higher education level, highest odds are for people either self-employed or engaged in agricultural activities, and it is more prevalent in poor households. Based upon results of study, it is conferred that in order to control tobacco use targeted interventions are needed and there is need to focus on: urban areas, less educated people, poor households, people of age 40 years and above, and people who are self-employed or engaged in agricultural activities.