Analytical Essay on Tobacco Use: Prevalence of Tobacco Chewing in Rural Areas of Vadodara District of Gujarat, India

Abstract:

Introduction

The research has been introduced on the selected research area which depicts about prevalence of chewing tobacco in the district of Vadodara, Gujarat. Here identification of the research are maintained from different literature sources. Alongside, the research will appropriately follow the method of Questionnaire and cross-sectional survey. Thus, primary data will be collected based on certain demographic trends associated with the rural population of Vadodara, Gujarat, India. Among such trends, special emphasis will remain on factors like age, educational background, job types, and reason of preference for chewing tobacco.

Background

Tobacco chewing has become a great public health issue globally. According to World Health Organization (WHO) report 2002, around one-third of the total population of the world is addicted to tobacco. Around 1.2 million (WHO, 2002) tobacco users live in low and middle-income countries. Tobacco use have contributed to around half of the deaths in developing countries. Tobacco use is one of the most common and preventable causes of oral diseases (WHO report, 2002). No studies have been conducted reporting the prevalence of tobacco chewing in Vadodara district of Gujarat, India.

Aim:

To evaluate the prevalence of tobacco chewing in rural areas of Vadodara district of Gujarat, India.

Question:

What is the prevalence of chewing tobacco among rural population of vadodara, gujarat, india: a cross-sectional survey

Method:

A cross-sectional survey using questionnaire

Data collection:

Data will be collected using geographical variation and age, gender, education, occupation, marital status and cause of tobacco chewing habit will be taken into consideration.

Keywords:

Tobacco chewing, tobacco, smokeless tobacco, prevalence, Vadodara.

Significance:

This survey will help to evaluate the prevalence of tobacco chewing in rural areas of Vadodara district of Gujarat, India.

Background:

From time to time, India has always managed to re-establish its position as the global leader in the domain of tobacco control. Also, use of tobacco has been the foremost among the preventable reason of death as well as disease in India (Iacobelli et al., 2019). Based on the results from the survey conducted by Global Adult Tobacco Society (GATS), more than 326 million of Indians are known for using chewing tobacco or smokeless tobacco. Hence, the resultant burden of despondence as well as morality, as a result of the consumption of this smokeless tobacco is comparatively very high in the Indian subcontinent (Barik et al., 2016). Therefore, the primary purpose of this research is to outline the certain specific patterns of chewing tobacco use as well as the information associated with its health effects in Vadodara district of Gujarat, which is primarily considered a rural area.

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Significance of the research

As mentioned before, from the already available evidence it can clearly be suggested that the percentage of oral cancer in India is highest compared to other parts of the world and the sole reason for this is the use of chewing tobacco and its growing popularity among the rural population of India (Kahar et al., 2016). In light of this context, this research study will emphasize on the use of chewing tobacco in the rural region of Vadodara, Gujarat, India. In doing so, the research study will critically analyze the demographic trends which influence the preference of chewing tobacco in that area. Hence, it is evident that the challenge associated with the use of chewing tobacco in the rural parts of India, especially Vadodara is formidable. In light of this fact, the complexity associated with the disadvantaged people who reside in these rural areas of Vadodara must also be considered. Hence, in conducting the research study, the important thing is to consider all the social determinants and furthermore to curb the usage of chewing tobacco on a broader scale (Sidhu et al., 2018). Hence, the monograph based on chewing tobacco in light of the public health of Vadodara will help in bridging a significant gap in the domain of public health. In this regard, it is also important to comprehend that this research study will also offer an overall insight on the influence of chewing tobacco consumption in rural India, in context of Vadodara.

Research aims and Objectives:

AIM: To estimate the prevalence of chewing tobacco in Vadodara district of Gujarat, India.

Thus following the aim the research will be progressed through setting different objectives that are as follows:

1. To identify, why the youth in rural India is falling prey to chewing tobacco.
2. To identify certain demographic trends that lead to chewing tobacco in Vadodara.
3. To increase public awareness on the certain consequences of chewing tobacco.

Research Question:

What is the prevalence of chewing tobacco among rural population of Vadodara, Gujarat, India: A cross-sectional survey.

Literature review:

The literature review has been made using As the objectives for this research study are outlined, and it primarily deals with the consumption of chewing tobacco in rural India, there are strong evidence as to how the growing popularity of this smokeless tobacco or the chewing tobacco, given its lower price range is actually hampering the public health of the rural parts of Vadodara, Gujarat. In this regard, as stated by (Kostova and Dave, 2015) the foremost as well as the most significant objective of this research study is to enhance as well as raise public awareness on the certain consequences of chewing tobacco consumption. Firstly, tobacco is known for containing more than 4000 of different chemical substances, and among these 50 are deadly carcinogens. Consumption of these carcinogens is in turn responsible for 90% of lung cancer, 75% (Kostova and Dave, 2015) of certain chronic emphysema and bronchitis, as well as for 25% (Kostova and Dave, 2015) of chronic ischaemic heart diseases. Hence, government health surveys suggest that on a yearly basis, thousands of deaths are caused by the consumption of these carcinogens in the rural parts of India. The source being the aspects of chewing tobacco in majority of these cases, intruded the factors relating to the research area. Also, according to Varshitha, (2015) the burden of economy, as a result of the tobacco consumption on the poor families in the rural parts of Vadodara cannot be overlooked in this regard. Other than spending on health, food, and other necessities, the priority is becoming addiction to this chewing tobacco. Hence, as stated by (Thakurand Paika, 2018), considering the above-mentioned implications, it is evident that information is the key factor which will facilitate the confrontation of this epidemic usage of chewing tobacco or smokeless tobacco in the rural parts of India; in this context Vadodara. Therefore, from the research study and its findings, the way to address the most significant objective is to raise awareness. It is necessary to make the rural population of Vadodara aware of the ill effects of chewing tobacco. Hence, information is a key tool which will serve the purpose of influencing the policies associated with regulations regarding anti-tobacco.

Furthermore, addressing the certain demographic trend which influences the rural population of Vadodara in using chewing tobacco, certain factors were taken into consideration throughout the course of the research study. The findings were astonishing as they suggested that majority of these people are workers and laborers and they claimed that chewing tobacco gives them the physical strength to perform or tend to their respective duties. However, in reality, it is nothing but fiction. Chewing tobacco is a powerful stimulant which gives the subject a sense of raw energy for a momentary basis. However, the effects wear off quickly, and the person again uses the tobacco in order to feel the sense of satisfaction he gets (Kahar P, 2016). This kind of behavior leads to addiction and constant use. Furthermore, considering the aspect of advertising, it is mentioned worthy that the way tobacco companies project a sense of style and lifestyle, as well as fashion sense among the youth and as a sign of male authority, that it captivates majority of the youth (Mishra S, 2013) in the rural areas of Vadodara and they also fall prey to the consumption of this smokeless tobacco. It begins with a sense of style and fashion but ends up in serious addiction problems. This way, chewing tobacco has risen to be an epidemic in the rural parts of Vadodara and is constantly hampering the public health in the region.

Moreover, to address the other objective associated with this research study, it can be stated that how this epidemic can be dealt with. The Government has already tried strengthening the policies associated with tobacco consumption and have even tried hiking the price of these products. However, according to (Misra, 2016), these measures have not at all affected the usage of chewing tobacco in rural areas. As mentioned before, the subjects or the victims will even buy these products despite of the price hike irrespective of the fact that if they are being able to tend to the actual necessities of life, like buying food, tending to health, etc. Findings suggest that the addiction of chewing tobacco is so severe that the victims in turn cite their using is the priority in their daily chores. Hence, considering all these implications and addressing the issues associated with the usage if tobacco in rural parts of India, especially Vadodara, and Gujarat, it can be stated that it has rose to be one of the major issues that need to be addressed immediately. In this regard, this particular research study helps associate the necessary data as well as information that will in turn provide an overall understanding of the scenario in Vadodara, Gujarat, and how it has become an issue of concern. Therefore, it is of immense significance to emphasize on measures as to how the influence of chewing tobacco is gradually consuming the youth as well as the comprehensive population in rural India.

Methodology

Research orientations are justified on the basis of some important procedure that will help to gather efficient outcomes. Proper research deliverables will have to be selected in order to extract proper research outcomes successfully. Interpretivism research philosophy will be used in order to accomplish proper interpretation and evaluation regarding the research topic. As per the consideration of the chosen research area which reflects about the prevalence of chewing Tobacco in the district of Vadodara, Gujarat, deductive research approach will be chosen. It is evident that this particular approach will significantly assist in determining the deductions from the facts and figures achieved through different potential evidence that are related to the chosen research and the study (Taylor, et al., 2015). Moreover, the research will choose a significant research design procedure so that proper results and findings are determined successfully. In this context, descriptive research design process will be beneficial so as to address proper recommendations prior to the context of prevalence regarding chewing the tobacco in the district of Vadodara, Gujarat. The significance of the research will be accompanied through choosing the actual research strategy. Here the quantitative research strategy where the data are analyzed through statistical results is to be done. Thus considering the research strategy, the primary data for the research will be collected. This particular data will be collected in the form of survey that will be focused upon selecting the participants that generally chew tobacco in the district of Vadodara based on geographical variation. The study will be retrospective as a modified version of a pre-tested, validated and pre-set questionnaire will be used for interviewing about their current and past habit (Bowling, 2014). It is quite significant that a number of 30 participants have to be chosen that chew tobacco in this particular district and 10 close-ended questions will be provided to them where they will reflect about their perception for the prevalence of chewing tobacco. The questionnaires provided to the respondents are provided with options as per the Likert scaling techniques through which ratings from 1 to 5 are directed (Kumar, 2019). Thus the data which will be collected will be significantly analyzed with the help of statistical software Ms Excel and proper responses are to be gathered in order to underpin the assumptions that are important for the research. Random sampling method will be used as it will help to underpin the sample size in a probabilistic approach and choose the participants randomly. 30 sample respondents are to be selected randomly which will participate in the research and clear outcomes from the findings will be justified.

Inclusion criteria: exclusion criteria:

1. Gender: Both (Males and Females) Disable person (physical/ mental)
2. Age: 15 to 60 years. A person with severe illness.
3. Current and past tobacco users

Ethical issues

Prior to the respective research; it is important to determine proper secrecy regarding the data collected through following the data protection act. Prior to the interview, respondents will be explained about the aim of the study, and to assure the confidentiality of the participants’ information, written informed consent will be signed by them. Apart from this, it will be important to maintain cordial relations with the participants and no such personal questions will be asked in order to entail the research properly.

Research Timeline:

The research will be undertaken through following the appropriate structure that are signified through a gnat chart which are showcased below:

1. Timeline
2. Activities Duration
3. Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5 Week 6 Week 7 Week 8 Week 9
4. Introduction
5. Literature Review
6. Methodology
7. Data Analysis
8. Conclusion
9. Recommendation

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