Prevalence, Knowledge and Attitude of Tobacco Use Among Health Professionals In Mangalore City, Karnataka

Abstract

As members of health profession, medical practitioners and dentists have a duty to promote oral and general health and healthy lifestyles among their patients, by raising their awareness about the harmful effects of tobacco on health and guiding them in conquering tobacco addiction. A significant barrier to anti-tobacco counseling by health professionals has been found to be as a result of self-use, of tobacco. The study was conducted to assess the knowledge, attitude and prevalence of tobacco use among medical and dental health professionals of Mangalore, Karnataka, India.Ever consumers were 37% and 19% were current consumers of tobacco in the present study.Cigarette is major product consumed. Majority of the current consumers (56.92%) had attempted to quit but more than half (60%) had again restarted the habit of tobacco consumption.Addiction was the cause for not quitting the habit among 15.38% of current consumers. 38.9% stated that they had participated in anti-tobacco programmes.Majority of the health professionals (72.91%) have expressed that tobacco use has to be banned. Effective cessation programs to reduce tobacco use among health professionals should be promoted‥