The prevalence of and factors associated with tobacco smoking behavior  among long-distance drivers in Lagos, Nigeria.

Obianuju B Ozoh1, Maxwell O Akanbi, Casmir E Amadi, William Vollmer, Nigel Bruce
1. University of Lagos College of Medicine; Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Department of Medicine
2. Jos University Teaching Hospital, Internal Medicine; Northwestern University, Center for Global Health
3. Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research, Portland, Oregon, United States of America
4. University of Liverpool, United Kingdom, Department of Public health and Policy

Abstract:
Background: Factors associated with tobacco smoking are useful in designing tobacco control programs.

Objectives: To estimate the prevalence of and factors associated with tobacco smoking among long-distance drivers.

Methods:This was a cross-sectional study. Stratified cluster sampling approach was used to select drivers based on if they received annual health screening (AHS) or not (non AHS). We used a structured questionnaire to obtain information and weighted  the resulting observations to derive population based estimates. Association between tobacco smoking and socio-demographic  factors was explored in multivariate models.

Results:414 male drivers, mean age 43.6 (standard error 0.6) years. Population weighted prevalence of current smoking was  18.9% (95% CI: 14.3-23.4) of all drivers, 6.5% (95% CI: 2.6-10.4) of AHS drivers and 19.5 (95% CI: 14.7-24.2) of non AHS  drivers (p<0.001). In multivariate models, having close friends that smoked (OR= 6.36, 95% CI= 2.49 – 16.20) cargo driving  (OR= 2.58, 95% CI= 1.29 – 5.15) and lower education levels (OR for post-secondary education vs. primary education or less=  0.17, 95% CI= 0.04 – 0.81) were associated with current smoking.

Conclusion:Prevalence of tobacco smoking is higher among non AHS compared to AHS drivers. Having close friends that  smoked, cargo driving, and lower education levels were associated with current smoking.

Keywords: Tobacco smoking behavior, long-distance drivers, Lagos, Nigeria