Characteristics of study population, tobacco habit and results

Results

Of the 161 participants, 160 were males. The difference between the mean consumption before and after the diagnosis of cancer was found to be statistically significant (P = 0.0005) [Table 1]. However, no individual with an average frequency of use of more than 30 times per day could stop or reduce their habit. The incidence of change in habit among friends was comparable to that of blood relatives of the patient (P = 0.754).

Discussion

Tobacco is the most widely used addictive substance. It is the chief avoidable cause of death and the most important public health problem of our times. According to the Global Adult Tobacco Survey 2012, the prevalence of smoked and smokeless tobacco use in India is 13.9% and 25.8%, respectively.[1] The prevalence of tobacco abuse showed a declining trend in the countries such as Sweden and the USA by the end of the last century.[2] However, a similar pattern is yet to be observed in developing nations. The individuals in the study belonged to the northern states of India having the maximum incidence of smokeless tobacco-related mortality in the world.

According to a study from India, 64.2% of smokers were aware of health hazards of tobacco.[3] Unlike the majority of tobacco consumers, our study population has come across diagnosis of cancer in a relative or friend and is exposed to the difficulties the patients go through due to the disease and treatment-related morbidity, providing them a unique opportunity to quit. Cancer with its attributed stigma, acute presentation, need for radical treatment with considerable morbidity and financial burden presents the most frightening tobacco-related disease for the patient as well as the relatives. Abstinence rates in our study are comparable to the abstinence rates of various tobacco deaddiction treatment strategies, such as nicotine gums (17.4%), transdermal patches (13.7%), intranasal spray (24%), nicotine inhaler (17%), and sublingual tablets (17%).[4] In a similar study conducted at the Regional Cancer Center, Trivandrum, India, the reported abstinence rate was 16.5% at 1 year.[5] Our study population hail from parts of India with high consumption rates of chewed tobacco. With effective maintenance therapy, these individuals are likely to have sustained freedom from tobacco abuse. A well-designed, larger study is required to give more strength to our finding.

Conclusion

The diagnosis of tobacco related cancer has significant impact on the tobacco consumption of friends and relatives of patients with a comparable abstinence rate to that of various tobacco de-addiction therapies in vogue.

Conflict of Interest

There are no conflicts of interest.

References

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2. ed">2 Fagerstr m K, Furberg H. A comparison of the Fagerstr m Test for Nicotine Dependence and smoking prevalence across countries. Addiction 2008; 103: 841-5
3. Garg A, Singh MM, Gupta VK, Garg S, Daga MK, Saha R. Prevalence and correlates of tobacco smoking, awareness of hazards, and quitting behavior among persons aged 30 years or above in a resettlement colony of Delhi, India. Lung India 2012; 29: 336-40
4. Silagy C, Lancaster T, Stead L, Mant D, Fowler G. Nicotine replacement therapy for smoking cessation. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2004; 3: CD000146
5. Balagopal PG, George NA, Venugopal A, Mathew A, Ahamed MI, Sebastian P. Tobacco related habits among first degree relatives of patients undergoing surgery for advanced head and neck malignancies in India. Asian Pac J Cancer Prev 2012; 13: 217-20

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