• Mohammad Shakhawat Hossain, Kypros Kypri, Bayzidur Rahman, Shahnaz Akter, and Abul Hasnat Milton.
• Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore, Singapore. shakhawat@nuhs.edu.sg.
• Drug Alcohol Rev. 2016 Sep 1; 35 (5): 514-22.

Introduction And AimsThe aim of this study was to investigate health knowledge, attitudes and smokeless tobacco quit attempts and intentions among married women in rural Bangladesh.Design And MethodsA cross-sectional survey was conducted using an interviewer administered, pretested, semistructured questionnaire. All 8082 women living in the Jhaudi and Ghotmajhee local government areas, aged ≥18 years with at least one pregnancy in their lifetime, were invited to participate. Questions covered smokeless tobacco consumption (STC), knowledge regarding its health effects, users' quit attempts and intentions and sociodemographic characteristics.ResultsEight thousand seventy-four women completed the survey (response rate 99.9%). Almost half (45%) of current consumers thought STC was good for their health and many ascribed medicinal values to it, for example 25% thought STC reduced stomach aches. A quarter had previously tried to quit and 10% intended to quit. After adjusting for potential confounders, inaccurate knowledge of STC health consequences was associated with being older [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 2.71, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.99-3.50], less educated (aOR = 2.18, 95% CI 1.66-2.85), Muslim (aOR = 17.0, 95% CI 12.0-23.9) and unemployed (aOR = 29.7, 95% CI: 25.2-35.1). Having less education (aOR = 2.52, 95% CI 0.98-6.45) and being unemployed (aOR = 1.52, 95% CI 1.03-2.23) were associated with the intention to quit.Discussion And ConclusionsLarge gaps exist in rural Bangladeshi women's understanding of the adverse health effects of STC. Health awareness campaigns should highlight the consequences of STC. Routine screening and cessation advice should be provided in primary healthcare and smokeless tobacco control strategies should be implemented. [Hossain MS, Kypri K, Rahman B, Akter S, Milton AH. Health knowledge and smokeless tobacco quit attempts and intentions among married women in rural Bangladesh: Cross-sectional survey. Drug Alcohol Rev 2016;35:514-522].© 2015 Australasian Professional Society on Alcohol and other Drugs.

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