BACKGROUND AND IMPLEMENTATION CHALLENGES: Tobacco use remains a significant public health concern globally, particularly among marginalized populations such as men who have sex with men (MSM). This demographic often faces unique challenges related to smoking behavior, influenced by social norms, mental health perceptions, and risk factors specific to their communities. This intervention therefore aimed to reduce smoking prevalence and improve participants' understanding of tobacco-related health risks.
INTERVENTION OR RESPONSE: Outreaches were conducted through parties, picnics and community dialogue as strategies for reaching MSM in the State. Needs assessments were conducted through eight in-depth interviews and five focus group discussions to identify the plight and perceptions of tobacco smoking and health consequences. We therefore implemented tobacco smoking prevention through sensitization workshops. A total of 131 MSM who were recruited for this project and 5 were lost to follow up. This intervention was carried out for 12 months and was evaluated at 6 months and 1 year.
RESULTS AND IMPACT: Participants’ knowledge of tobacco increased from 18.0% at baseline to 87.9% within 6 months. At baseline, 73.8% of the participants reported engaging in daily tobacco smoking in the last 3 months. During evaluation at 1 year, only 13.9% reported engaging in daily tobacco smoking. Prior to the intervention, 80.9% had a negative perception that tobacco smoking reduces depression and at 6-month evaluation, this reduced to 23.9%. A qualitative study revealed that the major risk factors for smoking among respondents include influence of family members or peers who smoke and sexual enhancement.
CONCLUSIONS: The intervention demonstrated significant positive outcomes in both knowledge and behavior regarding tobacco use. The increase in awareness from 18.0% to 87.9% within six months indicates that targeted educational efforts can effectively inform this population about the health risks associated with smoking. Furthermore, the substantial reduction in daily smoking rates highlights the potential for community-based interventions to alter smoking behaviors.