Epidemiology and Prevalence of Tobacco Use in Tehran; a Report From the Recruitment Phase of Tehran Cohort Study Publisher Pubmed

Summary: Concerned about tobacco use in Iran? Research shows 19.8% of Tehran adults smoke, with significant use among men and the young. What strategies could address this trend? #Tobacco #PublicHealth

Shafiee A¹ ; Oraii A¹ ; Jalali A¹ ; Alaeddini F¹ ; Saadat S² ; Masoudkabir F^{1, 3} ; Tajdini M¹ ; Ashraf H³ ; Omidi N¹ ; Heidari A^{3, 4} ; Shamloo AS⁵ ; Sadeghian S¹ ; Boroumand M¹ ; Vasheghanifarahani A³ Show All Authors
Source: BMC Public Health Published:2023

Abstract

Introduction: Tobacco use is a major health concern worldwide, especially in low/middle-income countries. We aimed to assess the prevalence of cigarette smoking, waterpipe, and pipe use in Tehran, Iran. Methods: We used data from 8272 participants of the Tehran Cohort Study recruitment phase. Tobacco use was defined as a positive answer to using cigarettes, waterpipes, or pipes. Participants who did not report tobacco use during the interview but had a previous smoking history were categorized as former users. Age- and sex-weighted prevalence rates were calculated based on the national census data, and characteristics of current and former tobacco users were analyzed. Results: Age- and sex-weighted prevalence of current tobacco users, cigarette smokers, waterpipe, and pipe users in Tehran was 19.8%, 14.9%, 6.1%, and 0.5%, respectively. Current tobacco use was higher in younger individuals (35–45 years: 23.4% vs. ≥ 75 years: 10.4%, P < 0.001) and men compared to women (32.9% vs. 7.7% P < 0.001). The prevalence of tobacco use increased with more years of education (> 12 years: 19.3% vs. illiterate: 9.7%, P < 0.001), lower body mass index (< 20 kg/m2: 31.3% vs. ≥ 35 kg/m2: 13.8%, P < 0.001), higher physical activity (high: 23.0% vs. low: 16.4%, P < 0.001), opium (user: 66.6% vs. non-user: 16.5%, P < 0.001), and alcohol use (drinker: 57.5% vs. non-drinker: 15.4%, P < 0.001). Waterpipe users were younger (46.1 vs. 53.2 years) and had a narrower gender gap in prevalence than cigarette smokers (male/female ratio in waterpipe users: 2.39 vs. cigarette smokers: 5.47). Opium (OR = 5.557, P < 0.001) and alcohol consumption (OR = 4.737, P < 0.001) were strongly associated with tobacco use. Hypertension was negatively associated with tobacco use (OR = 0.774, P = 0.005). Conclusion: The concerning prevalence of tobacco use in Tehran and its large gender gap for cigarette and waterpipe use warrant tailored preventive policies. © 2023, The Author(s).