Abstract
Background The prevalence of tobacco use among South Asian migrants in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has not been evaluated. We examined the prevalence of cigarette smoking and smokeless tobacco use along with their associated factors among male South Asian migrants in the UAE.Methods A representative sample of South Asian adult migrant males was recruited in Al Ain, UAE in 2012. The sample included Indian (n=433), Pakistani (n=383) and Bangladeshi (n=559) nationalities. Prevalence and measures of association using bi-variable and multi-variable logistic regression models were used to identify correlates of tobacco use.ResultsA total of 1.375 South Asian migrant males participated in the study (response rate 76%) with a mean age of 34 years (SD ± 10). The prevalence of current cigarette smoking was 21%, 23% and 37% among participants from India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, respectively. The prevalence of current smokeless tobacco use was 6%, 12%, and 16% for Indian, Pakistani, and Bangladeshi participants, respectively. Bangladeshi nationality, hypertension, and alcohol use were significant correlates of current cigarette smoking. Increase in age, less than college level education, alcohol use and Pakistani or Bangladeshi nationality were significant correlates of exposure to smokeless tobacco.Conclusions The high prevalence of cigarette smoking and smokeless tobacco use in South Asian migrants, highlights the public health burden of tobacco use in migrant populations in the UAE. Public health measures are needed to address tobacco use in migrant population.
Do Socioeconomic Risk Factors for Cigarette Smoking Extend to Smokeless Tobacco Use?
