Original Article

Year : 2019 | Volume : 7 | Issue : 2 | Page : 34-38

Association between Nicotine Dependence and Exhaled Carbon Monoxide Level among Truck Drivers in Chennai City

Monica Gurupriya Mohanram, Madan Kumar Parangimalai Diwakar

Department of Public Health Dentistry, Ragas Dental College, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India

Address for correspondence:

Dr. Monica Gurupriya Mohanram,

2/102, SH49, Uthandi, Chennai ‐ 600 119, Tamil Nadu, India.

E‐mail: gurupriya.monica@gmail.com

Abstract

Background:

Between 2009 and 2016, India has made progress in reducing the prevalence of the use of both smoked and smokeless forms of tobacco. Efforts to quit tobacco use have increased, but successful quitting remains low. One of the known factors that hindered smoking cessation is nicotine dependence. There are two methods of measurement that are currently being used in order to assess the nicotine dependence, a self‐reported method by the smokers, and the other being biochemical assessment of nicotine metabolite. The aim of our study was to determine the prevalence of smokers among truck drivers in Chennai city and to assess the association between the Fagerstrom Test for Nicotine Dependence (FTND) and the exhaled carbon monoxide (CO) level among them.

Materials and Method:

A cross‐sectional study was conducted with a convenient sample of 493 truck drivers above 18 years of age. Dependence was assessed using the modified FTND scale. A CO breath analyzer was used to assess the amount of CO in the breath.

Results:

The mean age of the participants was 38.92 ± 10.43 ranging from 19 to 75 years. Nicotine dependence of smokers had a significant moderate correlation with CO level.

Conclusions:

The result of the present study showed that the exhaled CO level was associated with self‐reported nicotine dependence and it may serve as a more objective method in detecting smoking.

Keywords: Carbon monoxide level, nicotine dependence, Tobacco

Financial support and sponsorship

Nil.

Conflicts of interest

There are no conflicts of interest.

How to cite this article:

Mohanram MG, Parangimalai Diwakar MK. Association between nicotine dependence and exhaled carbon monoxide level among truck drivers in Chennai City. Int J Community Dent 2019;7:34-8.