KARACHI, Feb 3: Despite millions of rupees that were spent on several anti-smoking initiatives, the prevalence of smoking among Karachiites has not declined in the past few decades, a research paper involving 1,625 respondents has shown. If at all, the prevalence rate has gone up slightly.
According to the paper — which was published in the Journal of Pakistan Medical Association (JPMA) in June — 32.7 per cent of Karachiites smoke regularly. Earlier studies had shown that the prevalence rate was between 25 to 30 per cent.
The study — conducted by Dr Rehana Mehar and Dr S. Devji of the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre — suggests that about 5.5 per cent of Karachi’s women smoke regularly. Most of the female smokers belong to the city’s so-called posh areas.
For the paper entitled ‘Prevalence of Smoking among Karachi Population’, a total of 1,625 Karachiites were interviewed in 25 areas of the city. Two modes of survey were adopted: one was a house-to-house survey of 460 individuals; and, the other was interviews of 1,071 people at various public places.
The localities where the house-to-house survey was conducted were: Federal B Area, North Karachi, Nazimabad, Defence, Clifton, Saddar, Bahadurabad, Korangi, Landhi, PECHS, KMCHS, Gulshan-i-Iqbal, Gulistan-i-Jauhar, Malir Cantonment, Malir City and Model Colony.
The public places belonging to the following areas provided sites for face-to-face interviews: Federal B Area, Nazimabad, North Karachi, Lines Area, Manzoor Colony, Jinnah Hospital, Defence Housing Authority, Clifton, Saddar, PECHS, SMCHS, KMCHS, Gulshan-i-Iqbal, Tariq Road, Bahadurabad, Mehmoodabad, Korangi, Landhi, Gulistan-i-Jauhar, Malir Cantonment, Malir City and Model Colony.
Of the 1,625 people approached, 91 refused to be interviewed, leaving a total of 1,531 cases (1,061 males and 470 females). Of the 1,061 males interviewed, 441 were smokers. In other words, 27.14 per cent of the males, with 1,625 as the base number, smoke regularly.
Of the 470 females interviewed 90 were smokers. That is, 5.5 per cent of the city’s women, with 1,625 as the base number, smoke regularly.
The highest frequency of smoking was seen among college-going males but in females the majority of smokers were graduates belonging to the 26-30 years age group.
The age at which most smokers acquire the habit is 15 to 25 years, the paper says. The habit was fuelled by smokers who asked their colleagues and friends to consume cigarettes like themselves.
Most smokers know that smoking is hazardous and many do make an attempt to quit it. However, very few are ultimately able to get rid of the dangerous habit, said the paper.
One of the authors of the paper, Dr Rehana Maher, told Dawn on Monday that the prevalence of smoking among Karachi’s women may be considerably higher than the one cited in her paper. “Latest data indicate that it may be as high as 6.5 per cent.”
The rate of prevalence was quite low among women belonging to the middle and lower-middle classes, may be less than 1 per cent. However, in the lower classes it was about 2 per cent, she said.
“Smoking is held as taboo among all women. But many poor women involved in manual and other stress-related work do develop this habit.”
What had shocked her was the high prevalence of smoking among women of the upper class, said Dr Rehana. “In certain parties I have seen more than half of the women present smoking freely.”
This section of society saw smoking as a gesture of liberation, she said.
