Abstracto

Epidemiology of tobacco use and dependence in Sub-Saharan Africa: A systematic review.

Ngweina Francis Magitta

Background: Tobacco use is a major contributor of morbidity and mortality globally, and currently increasing in Africa. There is a paucity of data in Africa and the efforts gained by various interventional programs have not been well quantified in Africa. Methods: WHO data repositories covering the period ranging from 1990 to 2016 together with other studies conducted in Africa on smoking and associated mortality were examined and analyzed both for comparison and for highlighting evidence necessary for guiding the on-going tobacco control efforts. Results: The burden of tobacco-related deaths in Africa increased from 150,000 reported deaths in 1990 to over 215,000 in 2016, representing about 70% increase in mortality. The highest number of deaths was recorded in Eastern Africa and the lowest was recorded in Central Africa. The prevalence of tobacco smoking is equally increasing, with the prevalence increasing from 9.8% in 2015 to 13.9% in 2016. Interpretation: Both the burden of tobacco-related deaths and smoking rates are increasing Africa. More investment is urgently needed to foster local preventive and therapeutic interventions with tailored and context-sensitive approaches.