163782 Comparitive role of media in encouraging tobacco use amongst the different income groups

Tuesday, November 6, 2007

Akshat Katyayan , Department of Community Medicine, Maulana Azad Medical College, Delhi, India
Surabhi Batra , Department of Community Medicine, Maulana Azad Medical College, Delhi, India
Jugal Kishore , Department of Community Medicine, Maulana Azad Medical College, Delhi, India
Environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) is a recognised air pollutant and causes various health disorders like heart disease and lung cancer. Media plays a very important role in encouraging people to smoke. Objectives:find out the relation between income levels and the influence of media on smoking.2)To compare the proportion of expenditure on smoking amongst various income groups. Methods:200 subjects belonging to different income groups were given a Questionaire containing questions pertaining to thier monthly expenditure and thier usage of media. Analysis was done using Epi Info. Results: It was shown that the lower income group spends about 12% of thier income on tobacco products, which is more than what they spend on health care (3%). And Media Influences 60% of these people. While in case of higher income group media influences only 2% of the population.

Learning Objectives:
1) The lower income group is influenced by media to a greater extent as compared to the higher income group. 2) It is the lack of education that makes the lower income group more vulnerable to the influenece of the media. 3)This also implies that the lower income group is more likely to be a victim of other types of harmful effects of the media. 4) Appropriate steps should be taken to make stringent laws to prohibit content in the media which promotes tobacco.

Keywords: Tobacco Policy, Health Risks

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No
Any institutionally-contracted trials related to this submission?

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

See more of: Tobacco Posters II
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