Abstract :
Background: Tobacco has been a prevalent cause of disease burden over India since decades. Gap in awareness among the population leads to use of tobacco, causing a number of deaths across India.
Objectives: The study aimed at assessing prevalence, attitude, knowledge gap harbouring in the urban population of Maharashtra. Effect of mass media was gauged along with the ability of people to avoid their addiction.
Materials and Methods: A quantitative, online Google form based Questionnaire survey was conducted in a convenient sample of urban population across Maharashtra. 344 people participated following, the data was analysed using Microsoft Excel.
Results: 29.1% (n=100) of the urban population were Tobacco users, most of which having Undergraduate/Postgraduate Educational qualification. 25% (n=61) of Non users didn’t know about the tobacco content in various products. Majority of Tobacco users were aware of the risk of Tobacco use causing heart attacks and also hold an opinion that smoking should be banned in public places. 38% (n=91) Tobacco users felt that there was a lack of impact of Tobacco use on social behaviour. People with different education levels consumed cigarettes/bidis the most.
Conclusion: Higher educated class was found to have a higher conscious decision in Tobacco Usage. The need for Mass media enhancement was felt due to low impact on quitting behaviour. Tobacco was found to have a low impact on socializing, and it's true effects can be studied in future.
Keyword :
Awareness, Education, Maharashtra, Middle-class, Smoking, Tobacco Non-users, Tobacco users.