Tobacco use in Goa slips to 8 p.c.

TEAM HERALD

teamherald@herald-goa.com

PANJIM: The overall average tobacco use in Goa has reduced to eight per cent, making it the first State in India to decline below 10 per cent till date, according to a World Health Organisation sample study on tobacco habits among the adult population in the State.

Urban areas such as Panjim have low tobacco use prevalence rates of less than 10 per cent while rural areas such as Poriem (Sattari) and Curtorim (Salcete) had high tobacco use prevalence rates, which sometimes even exceed 40 per cent. 

The study carried out by National Organisation for Tobacco Eradication (NOTE) with the help of students from 20 colleges also indicates that rate of tobacco users among men in South Goa is four per cent more than in the north district while interestingly, women in north Goa exceed their counterparts in the South, reveals the recent study. 

The survey covered nine talukas ~ five north and four south for years 2010-12. The report released recently showed the highest 40.4 per cent of tobacco use among men was in Sanguem followed by 38.2 per cent in Sattari. The least was calculated in tourist popular Bardez taluka having 21.5 per cent tobacco using population. 

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Whereas the highest rate in women tobacco use was reported in Sattari with 38.1 per cent, Sanguem 29 per cent ~ which has very high chewing rate and the least 4.5 per cent was in Salcete. The average rate of tobacco habits for the North District is 26.3 per cent for men and 12.9 per cent for women while in the four districts of South ~ Mormugao, Salcete, Sanguem and Quepem, the per cent is calculated at 31.3 for men and 11 for women. 

The rate of smoking is highest in South for both men (27.3 percent) and women (6.7 per cent) compared to that in North Goa. Sanguem taluka tops the chart with 34.5 per cent smoking reported among men and 14 per cent in women. The least 18.5 per cent each has been in Bardez and Bicholim talukas in men while among women the least 2.8 per cent was in Pernem.

 The study also covered the age-wise prevalent rates of smoking among men and women, which revealed that it generally increases with age up to the age group of 55-64 years in men while among women it increases with age upto 65-74 years of age. 

NOTE General Secretary Dr Shekhar Salkar said that among men, starting with a rate of 13.2 per cent in the age group 18-24 years, which increases rather steeply to 28.6 per cent in the age group 35-44 years and then increases at a slow rate up to 32 per cent in the age group of 55-64 years. The rate remains nearly stable at about 32 percent in the age group 65-74 and then declines slightly to about 29 per cent for the age group 75 and above. He said the tobacco chewing rate of men also increases with age. 

He also said that prevalence rate of smoking in women increases in age group 65-74 years and then declines. “Starting with the rate of 3 per cent in the age group 18-24 years, it increases steadily to 14.3 per cent in the age group 65-74 years, and then declines to 13.2 per cent in the last age group 75 years and above,” he said. 

Prevalence rate of tobacco use (smoking and/or chewing tobacco) increases with age up to the age-group 55-64 years and thereafter declines in both ~ men and women. The study, he commented was not scientifically conducted though even as another fresh study will be carried out in 2014-15.