The COM-B Models’ Perspective on the Factors Affecting Commencement of Tobacco Use Behaviour

Introduction: The primary goal of the COM-B model is to figure out what has to be done in order for a behaviour change to occur. Behaviour modification requires an understanding of the factors that drive behaviour. <br><br>Aim: The current qualitative study intends to explore the factors impacting tobacco use initiation (TUI) using the COM-B model, given the relevance of investigating the factors affecting TUI and the COM-B model.<br><br>Methods: Seventeen participants who reported having started any kind of tobacco in the last six months were recruited in the study using a purposive sampling method to investigate the factors affecting TUI. The data was collected through interviews, and all of the participants are from the Hyderabad-Karnataka region of Karnataka, India&nbsp; (a state which has reported as the highest prevalence of cigarette smoking in India).<br><br>Results: Conventional content analysis revealed six categories: psychological capabilities affecting TUI (lack of knowledge about adverse health effects of tobacco, behavioural control and poor academic performance), physical capabilities affecting TUI (lack of better physical resilience), physical opportunities favouring TUI (tobacco advertisements, easy access of tobacco products, and favourite star smoke on screen), social opportunities favouring TUI (peer influence, tobacco use by parents, tradition of hospitality, tobacco use as a normal behaviour, and toxic masculinity), automatic motivation causal factors of&nbsp; TUI (affect regulation, risk taking behaviours and tobacco use for pleasure) and reflective motivation causal factors of TUI (perceived benefits of tobacco, risk perception, perceived stress and compensatory health beliefs). <br><br>Conclusion: Identifying the factors that influence TUI may help to limit or prevent people from smoking their first cigarette. Given the importance of preventing TUI, the findings of this study indicate the factors that influence TUI, which can be valuable in improving behaviour change processes.