TOBACCO ADDICTION: EXPLORING PERCEPTION OF TOBACCO USERS AT SELECTED AREA OF JODHPUR

INTRODUCTION: Tobacco chewing is a major health problem throughout the world. According to NFHS-III, in India, 55.8% male, 10.8% female in the age group of 12 to 60 years have been found to be consuming tobacco. Tobacco users tend to underestimate their own personal risk of becoming addicted or suffering health effects from tobacco. The current work intended to explore perception of tobacco users regarding tobacco addiction. This qualitative study was METHOD: conducted among tobacco users residing at Pratap Nagar, Jodhpur, Rajasthan. Study participants were recruited through purposive sampling technique. Face-to-face interview and audio recorded interview were conducted. Total of 12 interviews were included in the data analysis. Interviews were transcribed and analysed using Colaizzi's framework. Level of trustworthiness was established by using the criteria of Lincoln and Guba. Result shows Mean age of RESULTS: subjects was 52.2±13.09 years. More than half (58.4%) of subjects were males. Four major themes and 18 subthemes were extracted i.e. reason and source for initiation of tobacco addiction, reason for continuous use of tobacco, barriers in tobacco cessation and motivators for tobacco cessation. Inuence of colleagues and curiosity to taste tobacco were identied as main factors to start tobacco chewing whereas health concern and unnecessary nancial burden were the main motivators for taking successful quitting attempt. Tobacco addiction is a grave CONCLUSION: public health Problem. There is strong need to clarify misconceptions regarding tobacco use and its benets by implementing effective tailored tobacco quitting awareness programs.