Factors Influencing the Consumption of Tobacco amongst the Khasi Indigenous People in Northeast India.

Background: Tobacco use in any form is a major public health concern. It accounts for nearly 1.35 million deaths every year. Many chronic illnesses occur due to the consumption of tobacco, either smoke or smokeless form. The study aims to explore how smoking and smokeless tobacco consumption are distributed across a range of demographic and socioeconomic markers among Khasi indigenous people in Northeast India. Materials and Methods: It is a case-control study conducted in adults over 31 years of age. The study was carried out between June 2020 and August 2021. An Independent Results: A total of 505 respondents were included in the present study. There was a high statistically significant difference in the income level of tobacco and non-tobacco users ( Conclusion: In conclusion, smoking and smokeless tobacco consumption are still widely prevalent in this region and strongly associated with age, gender, level of education, and place of residence. There is a need for further detailed analysis to identify risk factors that are strongly associated with the use of smoke and smokeless tobacco so that the community will be conscious about the hazardous effects of tobacco use in any form.