Tobacco use and the Risk of Non-communicable Diseases (NCDs) in Zimbabwe: A Comparative Study of the Smoking Characteristics of Urban (Bulawayo Province) and Rural settings (Mashonaland East Province)

Aim The study analysed tobacco smoking characteristics in a rural and an urban setting of Zimbabwean males. Background There is limited information on the smoking characteristics of the Zimbabwean population, and yet smoking exposes individuals to non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Objectives To compare smoking practices and their relationship with demographic variables, analyze cessation characteristics, assess exposure to second-hand smoke, and evaluate the risk of metabolic factors for non-communicable diseases. Methodology The study focused on the provinces of Bulawayo (urban) and Mashonaland East (rural). Four hundred participants were randomly selected from the two provinces. A regression analysis was performed to check for relationships between variables (demographic characteristics and smoking, smoking, and metabolic risk factors for NCDs). Results The rural group was 52% less likely to have current tobacco smokers compared to the urban group, i.e., 16.6%, 95% C.I. (21.1 – 22.6) and 29.0%, 95% C.I. (23.5 – 36) respectively. The rural group was 58% less likely to have respondents who started smoking at the ages between 14 and 17 years. The respondents with tertiary education were 80% less likely to smoke tobacco compared to those with lower educational qualifications. Those resident in households with income between $400 and $600 were two times more likely to report smoking than those earning less than $400. Tobacco smokers were more than two times more likely to have elevated blood glucose than non-smokers. Conclusion Urbanisation has led to higher smoking levels. Smoking is positively associated with elevated blood glucose. There is a need for education campaigns on the harmful effects of smoking.