Tobacco Use and Associated Risk Factors Among Outpatients of a Dental Hospital in Chennai, India – A Cross-sectional Pilot Study

Aim: To assess the tobacco usage and the factors associated with tobacco usage among the outpatients of a Dental hospital in Chennai. Methods: A pilot study was conducted among 100 outpatients with tobacco smoking/chewing habits visiting Madha Dental College and Hospital between February 15 and August 15, 2024. Data regarding tobacco usage, its type, dependency level, and various risk factors associated with tobacco usage were collected using a structured questionnaire by interview method. The Chi-square test was used to assess the association between nicotine dependence and various factors such as education, marital status, years of service, working hours, income, number of dependents, reasons for tobacco use, sources of purchase, alcohol consumption, and the Student’s t -test was used to compare the difference in FTND scores between users and non-users of alcohol. Results: Of the 100 study subjects, 60% were smokers, and nearly 20% of the users were highly dependent on tobacco. A significant association was found between high dependence on tobacco and factors such as alcohol use ( P ≤ 0.05) and family history of tobacco use ( P ≤ 0.03). Conclusion: The high prevalence of tobacco use, particularly among men, is a serious public health problem. Our findings suggest targeted prevention and cessation interventions focused on individuals with lower education, income, and longer working hours.