Prevalence and Level of Nicotine Dependence of Tobacco Users Among Tribal Todas in Hilly Areas of Nilgiris District

Aim: Tobacco is a significant public health concern for all populations, particularly for the indigenous population, as the role of tobacco among this section is under researched and underemphasized. This paper is designed to study tobacco use patterns and nicotine dependence in the Toda tribe of Nilgiris, Tamil Nadu, India. The aim of the present study was analyzing prevalence and the level of nicotine dependence from the use of tobacco in the Toda tribe in Tamil Nadu. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study in the month of April 2024, conducted in 450 Toda, obtained by simple random sampling, whose age was above 18. Data obtained using a demographic survey, examination, and Fagerström test for nicotine dependency analyzed through Statistical Package for the Social Sciences. Results: Out of 450 participants, 67.78% (305) used tobacco. Among them, 56.4% smoked smokeless tobacco, 15.5% smoked, and 28.1% used both. The major portion of the smokers (74.2%) had medium nicotine dependency, whereas 62.1% of smokeless tobacco users were highly dependent. The age- and gender-wise prevalence was more among middle-aged males, with a significant difference observed across age and gender groups. Conclusion: The prevalence of the use of tobacco is high and prevalent among middle-aged males along with rural populations, a preference for smokeless tobacco. Strong evidence supports culturally tailored public health interventions targeting tobacco cessation programs, awareness campaigns, integrated oral health care, are all needed to be in place in order to mitigate the health risks stemming from tobacco use within this specific community.