Open AccessKAP Study of Tobacco Users among the Garment Workers at Dhaka City in Bangladesh
Author(s) -
Md. Aynul Islam Khan,
Masuda Islam Khan,
Israt Jahan,
Mohammad Jahangir Alam Sarker,
S. M. Shahidul Islam,
Harun Rashid,
S. M. Muraduzzaman,
Md. Ranzu Ahmed
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
journal of advances in medicine and medical research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2456-8899
DOI - 10.9734/jammr/2019/v30i1030244
Subject(s) - smokeless tobacco , clothing , tobacco industry , earnings , medicine , environmental health , business , population , tobacco use , geography , archaeology , accounting , pathology
The readymade garment (RMG) industry is a key sector of Bangladesh economy. This sector brings in about 78% of the country’s total merchandize export earnings. More than 3.2 million people are working in this sector and mostly females from underprivileged social classes. Employment in this Ready-made garment sector in Bangladesh provides workers with economic benefits and some empowerment.
A descriptive cross-sectional study followed by a qualitative approach was utilized. Through proportionate quota sampling, 560 garments workers were recruited from 6 (one large, two medium, and three small) garment factories in Mirpur area of Dhaka city.
Almost all of the garments workers knew that both smoking and smokeless tobacco (98.4%) is harmful for health. Knowledge on specific health hazards of smoking (96.96%) tobacco was relatively higher than those of smokeless (90%) tobacco. Electronic media (Radio/TV/Cinema) was the most common source of their knowledge (92.9%). In case of smoking tobacco, cancer (63.6%) was the mostly reported disease caused by smoking tobacco, followed by lung cancer (15.7%) and heart attack (11.3%). On the other hand, for smokeless tobacco, cancer (29.8%), followed by oral cancer (26.6%) and lung cancer (15.0%) was mostly reported diseases by the garments workers. Garment workers’ knowledge on tobacco control policy was found to be very low. Only 35.0% knew about the policy. Although few garments workers know about the rules for prohibition of tobacco product in public place (25.7%) and public transport (11.3%), other specific rules under tobacco control policy were not known to majority of them.
The present study provides a scientific base regarding current tobacco using practice among garments workers in Dhaka city and their knowledge and attitude towards tobacco. Finding revealed from qualitative analysis of data suggested that now-a-days smoking is considered as a trend; people have to smoke for showing smartness or to maintain social status. Peer influence also plays an important role for initiating and maintaining smoking status. Socio-cultural influence for smokeless tobacco consumption was not well documented by this study which indicated a need for more focused qualitative study.