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Prevalence and pattern of smoking in Pakistan
1PMRC Research Centre, Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, Karachi.
Objective:
To determine the prevalence and pattern of smoking amongst Pakistanis. SAMPLING DESIGN: A two stage stratified sample design was adopted for the survey, Primary Sampling Units (PSU's) and Secondary Sampling Units (SSU's).
Setting:
Urban and Rural, Pakistan 1990-94.
Subjects:
Stratified systematic sample of 9441 males and females aged 15 years and above.
Main Outcome Measures:
Smokers were defined as, subjects who were currently smoking and who had smoked > or = 100 cigarettes/beedis or chillum/huqqa in their life time.
Results:
In Pakistan 21.6% (36% males and 9% females) of 9441 subjects were smokers. In urban areas it was 20.7% and in rural 22.0%, males were predominant in both urban and rural areas. Proportion of smokers who used cigarette/beedi were significantly higher in males (60%) while chillum/huqqa were more in females (62%). Prevalence increased with age upto 64 years, after which it declined but in urban females it continued to rise with age. Among both males and females; illiterate, married individuals with poor general health were more likely to smoke. These factors were 2 to 3 times more in males and 2 to 5 times more in females who were more likely to be smokers than those who were literate, single individuals with good general health.
Conclusion:
Smoking was more prevalent in illiterate, married persons and those with poor general health.