Authors : Reena Jhamtani C, Nilesh Jain, Mahienoor Attarwala Z, Shilpa Gupta
DOI : 10.18231/j.ijfcm.2021.042
Volume : 8
Issue : 4
Year : 2021
Page No : 202-206
Background & Objectives: Tobacco use increases the risk of contracting tuberculosis (TB), and blights the response to treatment of the disease. Although Links between Tobacco and TB have long been suspected, still many Indian patients continue to use tobacco. Our goal is to couple reviews of older and new research to provide definitive evidence of this dangerous connection so as to put an end to the TB epidemic.
Materials and Methods: Search of studies with English language abstract published between 2000 to June 2020 was undertaken in Google Scholar and PubMed. Search included the use of keywords “tobacco” with “tuberculosis,” “cessation,” or ‘’Tuberculosis Control Programme’’. Reference lists of the articles were examined for other relevant titles that included effective estimates of tobacco exposure in relation to tuberculosis outcomes.
Results: Available evidence shows a strong association between tobacco and tuberculosis. People who use tobacco unknowingly put themselves at high risk of getting this disease. Reduction in the prevalence of tobacco use is urgent to bring about collateral benefits in the control of the TB problem.
Conclusion: It is high time that TB control programs must begin to address tobacco control. Within the healthcare system opportunities must be created to provide encouragement for the TB patients so that it is easier for them to overcome this addiction.
There urgent need for research in the field of tobacco and tuberculosis so as to reduce the burden of tuberculosis in India.
Keywords: Cessation, Tobacco, Tobacco harm reduction, Tuberculosis, Tuberculosis control programme.