Study on Tobacco and Alcohol Consumption among Male in Punjab: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Background: Tobacco and alcohol use are important public health concerns in India and major risk factors for premature mortality and non-communicable diseases. This study assessed the prevalence and sociodemographic factors associated with tobacco and alcohol consumption among men aged 15–54 years in Punjab using secondary data from the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5), 2019–21.

Methods: A cross-sectional analysis was conducted using data from 3,296 male respondents in Punjab. Tobacco and alcohol consumption were analysed as binary outcome variables. Descriptive and bivariate analyses were performed, followed by binary logistic regression to examine associations with age, education, marital status, occupation, caste, religion, wealth index and place of residence. Analyses were conducted using SPSS version 20.

Results: Overall, 11.6% of men reported tobacco consumption and 29.0% reported alcohol consumption. Tobacco consumption was highest among men aged 45–49 years (17.9%) and 50–54 years (17.7%), while alcohol consumption was highest among men aged 50–54 years (44.5%). Consumption was also more common among men with no education and those from poorer wealth groups. Rural residence was associated with higher odds of tobacco consumption (OR=1.82, p<0.001). Several sociodemographic characteristics showed statistically significant associations with tobacco and alcohol consumption in the regression analysis.

Conclusion: Tobacco and alcohol consumption among men in Punjab varied across sociodemographic groups. The findings highlight the need for targeted prevention and control strategies, particularly for higher-risk and socioeconomically disadvantaged groups. Strengthening screening, early detection and context-specific public health interventions may help reduce the burden of substance use..