Trends in smokeless tobacco use and attributable mortality and morbidity in the South-East Asia Region: implications for policy

Abstract

Objectives: To describe the prevalence of smokeless tobacco (SLT) use and number of users by year, in addition to trends in mortality and attributable disease burden in countries of the WHO South-East Asia Region (SEAR), to inform policies for SLT control in the Region.

Methods: For each SEAR country, we obtained data from Global Adult Tobacco Surveys, WHO STEPwise Approach to NCD Risk Factor Surveillance surveys and Demographic and Health Surveys conducted since 2010 to estimate prevalence of SLT use by country, sex and year. Using data from the World Population Prospects database we estimated the number of users by country. Next, using the results of previous meta-analyses and prevalence results, we estimated the population attributable fractions and attributable mortality and morbidity in terms of annual deaths and disability-adjusted life years lost. We then characterised trends in attributable deaths and disease burden for countries with comparable data.

Results: There were wide differences in SLT use prevalence by country. We estimated that, during 2015-2019, there were 165 803 900 SLT users across SEAR, with 479 466 attributable deaths annually of which India accounted for 79.9% with 383 248. Attributable annual deaths increased in some countries during 2015-2019.

Conclusions: Annual deaths and disease burden attributable to SLT remain high across SEAR and have only declined modestly in recent years. Effective implementation of all WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control measures, addressing both supply-side and demand-side issues, in relation to SLT and areca nut products must be prioritised to ensure reductions in mortality and disease burden are sustained and accelerated.

Keywords: co-substance use; global health; non-cigarette tobacco products; public policy.