Substance Uses and Associated Sociodemographic Factors Among Male Tribes and Non-Tribal Communities of Eastern and North Eastern States in India: An Evidence-Based Study from the National Family Health Survey-5

Abstract

Background

The study analyzes the association between substance use among scheduled tribe men mostly known for their primitiveness, geographical isolation, insecurity, social, educational, and economic backwardness, and non-scheduled tribe men in India’s northeastern state and the eastern state of West Bengal.

Methods

The analysis of data representative across the country from the National Family and Health Survey's fifth wave (NFHS-5), which was conducted in 2019-2020, evaluated the prevalence of tobacco and alcohol use among 12,950 men between the ages of 15 and 54. Logistic regressions and bivariate analyses were performed to analyze the relationship between the socio-demographic determinants of substance use among ST and non-ST men.

Results

It has been found significant that 30.62% of non-ST males and 39.14% of ST males in the study’s sample consume any form of tobacco, whereas 49.23% of ST men and 29.56% of non-ST men consume alcohol. Men in the middle age groups, lower or uneducated, divorced, separated, or deserted, mainly from the urban residence; others, Buddhist, Hindu, and Christian religions belonging to the wealth quintiles of the poorest to richest; also, the unorganized workers consumed higher quantities of substances. Based on a correlation study between substance use and socioeconomic factors, middle-aged males who work in unorganized jobs, follow other religions, are from worse socioeconomic quintiles, are divorced, separated, deserted, or widowed are much more likely to consume substances.

Conclusion

This study concludes that both smoking and non-smoking tobacco substance, mostly alcohol, is more common among ST men compared to the non-STs in WB and NEI due to low sociodemographic status. The study also highlights the regional differences in substance use among both communities. However, there is a need to address substance misuse among the most vulnerable socioeconomic groups as it concerns their health and well-being.