Prevalence of Tobacco smoking in Ex-mineworker of the former Republic of Transkei, South Africa.

 

B L Meel MBBS, MD (AIIMS, New Delhi), DHSM (Natal),DOH (Wits), Dip HIV/AIDS (Stellenbosch).Faculty of Health Sciences, Walter Sisulu University, Mthatha 5117 South Africa E-mail: meelbanwari@yahoo.com

 

Background

Smoking-related deaths are projected to rise 10 million a year by 2020.Of this 70% of these deaths in poor countries.Lung cancer, one of the few malignancies for which the main cause is definitely known and that can be prevented.Tobacco smoking is the most importantconfounding factors in the lung pathologyamong mine workers.

Objective

To study the prevalence of tobacco smoking among ex-mineworkers of the former republic of Transkei, South Africa.

Patients and Method

During a period of two years (May 1997 to April 1999) 2,080 former mineworkers were examined at the Benefit Examination Clinic at Mthatha (Umtata) General Hospital, a tertiary hospital attached to the university of Transkei in Eastern Cape Province.

Results

The number of smokers among mineworkers were very high (79%).The current smokers were 30%, and 21% had never smoked.The quitters were very high among all the categories of smokers.Ex-smokers (26%), smokers (17%), and non-smokers (9%).

Results

The current smokers were thirty percent (30%), and (21%) had never smoked.

•The quitters were maximum in all the categories of smokers, ex-smokers (26%), smokers (17%), and non-smokers (9%) among mineworkers who had worked in the mines between 10 to 19 years.

Results

•The ex-smokers, smokers and non-smokers were in proportion of about 5:3:2.

Table 1.Relationship between smokers and non-smokers with history of mining.

Years of mining(Years)

History of smokers No history of smoking Total

1-4 5 (1%) 1 (0%) 6 (1%)

5-9 66(14%) 23 (5%) 89 (1%)

10-14 112(24%) 24 (5%) 136 (29%)

15-19 86(18%) 20 (4%) 106 (22%)

20-24 51(11%) 10 (2%) 61 (13%)

25-29 21(5%) 7 (2%) 28 (7%)

=>30 years 28(6%) 12(3%) 40 (9%)

Total 369 (79%) 97 (21%) 466 (100%)

Table 2.Relationship between different age groups with ex-smokers, smokers, and non-smokers among ex-mineworkers of the former Transkei region, South Africa.

Age groups Ex-smokers Smokers Non-smokers Total

30-39 22 (5%) 19 (4%) 15 (3%) 56 (12%)

40-49 69 (14%) 48 (11%) 24(5.15%) 141(30%)

50-59 73(16%) 41 (9%) 23 (4.93%) 137(29%)

60-69 46(10%) 29 (6%) 22 (4.72%) 97(21%)

=>70 16(3%) 6 (1%) 13 (3%) 35 (8%)

Total 226(48%) 143 (31%) 97 (21%) 466 (100%)

Table 3.Relationship between different age groups with smokers, and non-smokers among ex-mineworkers of the former Transkei region, South Africa.

Age groups History of smoking No history of smokers Total

30-39 41 (9%) 15 (3%) 56 (12%)

40-49 117 (25%) 24 (5.15%) 141(30%)

50-59 114 (24%%) 23 (4.95%) 137(29%)

60-69 75 (16%) 22(4.72%) 97(21%)

=>70 22 (5%) 13(3%) 35(8%)

Total 369 (79%) 97 (21%) 466 (100%)

Table 4. Years of mining vs. ex-smokers, smokers, and non-smokers among ex-mineworkers of the former Transkei, South Africa.

Duration of mining (yrs.)

Ex-smokers Smokers Non-smokers Total

1-4 4(1%) 1 (0.25%) 1 (0.25%) 6 (1.5%)

5-9 43 (9%) 23 (5%) 23(5%) 89(19%)

10-14 63(14%) 49 (11%) 24 (5.2%) 136(30%)

15-19 58(12%) 28 (6%) 20 (4%) 106(21%)

20-24 25 (5%) 26 (5%) 10 (2%) 61 (13%)

25-29 17(4%) 4 (1%) 7 (2%) 28 (7%)

=>30 yrs. 16 (3%) 12 (3%) 12 (3%) 40(9%)

Total 226 (48%) 143 (31%) 97 (21%) 466 (100%)

ConclusionThe prevalence of smoking is very high (79%) among ex-mineworkers in the area of Transkei, which is twice higher than general population.

Health education with emphasis on the bad effects of tobacco smoke is an important step to curb the widely use smoking habit among ex-mineworkers.

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