Prevalence of Tobacco use and Predictors: A Cross-Sectional Analysis of Baseline Data from Kong Cohort Study in the South of Iran

Background: Tobacco use (TU) has been increasing in Iran and turned into a major national healthcare concern. Thus, the present research aimed to explore the prevalence of TU and its predictors in Bandar-e-Kong in the south of Iran. Methods: The baseline data from Kong cohort study (KCS) were used in a prospective study of 4,035, 40-70 year old subjects in Bandar Abbas in Hormozgan Province between 2016 and 2018. Adjusted and crude odds ratios (OR) were used at 95% confidence interval (CI) to measure the predictors of TU. Results: : Hookah smoking (HS) showed to be the most prevalent type of smoking (17.60%, 95% CI: 16.41-18.78%). Only next was second-hand smoking (17%, 95% CI: 15.81-18.14%) followed by cigarette smoking (9%, 95% CI: 8.11-9.89%). Age, gender, education, alcohol consumption and environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) were the main predictors of cigarette and hookah smoking. Marital status, place of residence and psychological problems were the only predictors of HS (OR=.1.65, 95% CI: 1.11, 2.45, p=.01), BMI (OR=.95, 95% CI: .93, .98, p=.002) and drug abuse (OR=4.52, 95% CI: 3.11, 6.55, p<.001) were the only predictors of cigarette smoking. Conclusions: Masculinity, higher age, rural residence, low education, alcohol consumption, drugs, second-hand smoking and history of depression were among the main risk factors of smoking behavior. The results indicated a considerable need for more educational and preventive programs for each risk factor involved in smoking behavior especially for HS, exposure to ETS and its consequences in Kong population.