Tobacco cessation in Northeast India: The impact of mass media on changing habits

Introduction Tobacco use presents a substantial public health challenge, leading to adverse health consequences and avoidable deaths on a global scale. This research concentrated on the North Eastern States of India and explored the impact of mass media on tobacco cessation, considering various sociodemographic factors. Methods We conducted a secondary dataset analysis of the Global Adult Tobacco Survey India (2016–2017). Statistical analysis involved univariate analysis to assess population distribution, log-rank tests for capturing average quitting times, and Cox's proportional hazards model to estimate hazard ratios for quitting tobacco. The Cox model was applied to elucidate the impact of independent variables on the time until tobacco quitting events. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was conducted for smoked and smokeless tobacco users, with separate graphs for various demographic factors. Results The data analysis reveals noteworthy associations between tobacco cessation and sociodemographic factors. Gender differences are evident, with females showing a later average quitting time than males, emphasizing gender-related disparities. Education level, wealth index, occupation, and marital status emerge as significant factors, indicating that higher level of education and lower wealth are associated with earlier tobacco quitting. The study highlights the positive impact of mass media exposure on tobacco cessation. Conclusions This study provides significant insights into the challenges of tobacco cessation in the North Eastern States of India. The findings suggest the need for customized anti-tobacco campaigns, enhanced educational initiatives, improved healthcare accessibility, and the implementation of policies discouraging tobacco use.