Prevalence and Factors Associated with "Ever Use of Smokeless Tobacco" among Participants Attending Life Skills Training and Counseling Services Program Across Karnataka from 2017 to 2022.

Introduction: Smokeless tobacco (SLT) use is an intermediate risk factor for various noncommunicable diseases. Identifying the risk factors associated with ever use of SLT is important when we focus on the prevention of its initiation. Objectives: To estimate the prevalence and identify the factors associated with ever use of SLT among participants attending life skills training and counseling services program across Karnataka from 2017 to 2022. Methodology: Pretraining data of 3104 participants from 108 training programs between 2017 and 2022 were utilized. Univariate and multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed with various hypothesized exposure variables based on a conceptual framework and ever use of SLT as the outcome. Results: The overall prevalence of ever use of SLT among participants was 4.2%. Being men (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 7.05, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.68–29.57), having a diagnosed health problem (AOR = 1.88, 95% CI: 1.23–2.87), use of smoked tobacco products (AOR = 21.76, 95% CI: 13.79–34.33), use of SLT products among peers (AOR = 3.88, 95% CI: 2.43–6.21) significantly increased the odds of ever use of SLT while every unit increase in the environmental quality of life score (AOR = 0.98, 95% CI: 0.96–0.99) was significantly associated with reduced odds of ever use of SLT. Conclusion: This study contributes to a growing understanding of factors associated with ever use of SLT products. Gender, use of smoked tobacco, peer influences, and environmental quality of life needs to be stressed on while targeting SLT initiation, especially among teachers. Our study provides important insights while planning cost-effective health promotion interventions, specifically in countries like India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]