Tobacco use and associated risk factors in Burkina Faso: results from a population based cross-sectional survey

Background: Tobacco is a leading preventable cause of non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Studies characterizing
the prevalence of tobacco use in low-income countries are lacking. This study describes the prevalence of tobacco
use in Burkina Faso and its associated factors.
Methods: Data from the 2013 Burkina Faso World Health Organization (WHO) Stepwise approach to Surveillance
(STEPS) were analyzed. The prevalence of any tobacco product use, cigarette smoking, and other tobacco use was
calculated. Logistic regression analyses identified factors associated with tobacco use. Overall, 4691 people were
included in this analysis.
Results: The prevalence of any tobacco use was 19.8% (95% CI: 18.4–21.2). Tobacco use was higher for men (29.2%
[27.0–31.5]) than women (11.8% [10.3–13.4]). The prevalence of smoked tobacco was 11.3% (10.3–12.4), with a
significantly higher prevalence among men (24.5% [22.1–27.0]) than women (0.1% [0.01–0.3]). The overall
prevalence of other tobacco use was 8.9% (7.4–10.7), with lower values for men (5.6% [4.1–7.2]) compared to
women (11.7% [9.4–14.1]). Tobacco smoking among men was significantly associated with an increased age and
alcohol consumption. The analysis of risk factors for other tobacco use stratified by gender showed that age,
education, residence, and alcohol consumption were significantly associated with consumption for women, and
age and alcohol consumption for men.
Conclusion: Tobacco use is common in Burkina Faso. To effectively reduce tobacco use in Burkina Faso, a
comprehensive tobacco control program should consider associated factors, such as gender, age, and alcohol
consumption.