CONFERENCE PROCEEDING
Engaging rural mothers to identify and decide measures on most influential determinants to reduce tobacco consumption in Sri Lanka
 
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Rajarata University of Sri Lanka, Mihintale, Sri Lanka
 
 
Publication date: 2021-09-02
 
 
Corresponding author
Baduge F.B.N.S   

Rajarata University of Sri Lanka, Mihintale, Sri Lanka
 
 
Tob. Induc. Dis. 2021;19(Suppl 1):A161
 
KEYWORDS
ABSTRACT
Introduction:
One in ten Sri Lankan adult deaths is caused by tobacco. In Sri Lanka, tobacco smoking prevalence among 18-69 years is 15.0% .High Tobacco consumption is a health issue in the selected setting, ‘Gammahege wewa’ in Anuradhapura District. Rural mother can be empower to address this issue through identifying and deciding measures on influential determinants.

Objectives:
To identify determinants and decide measures for addressing most influential determinants effect on tobacco consumption.

Methods:
This community based health promotion intervention was conducted in above rural setting with a sample of 55 mothers above 30 years old. Focus group discussions were facilitated by health promotion facilitators. Initially, perception level of mothers’ on tobacco usage were measured based on pre-defined criteria such as ‘smokers are heroes’, ’smokers are foolish’. Then, identified determinants and prioritized the most influential determinants to address the tobacco usage through the discussions with mothers. They were facilitated to design intervention to reduce tobacco consumption.

Results:
Fifteen determinants were identified and six determinants were prioritized with the mothers such as the positive attitudes towards to tobacco consumption of villagers, media influences, peer influences, company promotions, and lack of control over of mothers. Three activities were suggested by them without the guidance of the facilitator namely, poster campaign in shops about not selling cigarettes, conducting awareness programs about harmfulness of tobacco, and calculating expenditure for cigarette consumption and displaying it in houses. Two activities were suggested by them with the guidance of the facilitator namely, displaying physical appearance of smokers and non-smokers through drawings in places of smoking and developing an activity to identify influences of media. Mothers improved perception on real harm of tobacco smoking by 11% through the discussions.

Conclusion(s):
Engaging and empowering rural mothers to identify and address determinants effect on tobacco consumption is effective in community level.

eISSN:1617-9625
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