Expenditure on health care, tobacco, and alcohol: Evidence from household surveys in rural Puducherry

A Quantitative Exploration of the Influence of Tobacco Use on Poverty in India

INTRODUCTION

Tobacco use has a disproportionate impact on lower socioeconomic groups in India. The study quantifies the number of people who would fall under the national poverty line if the direct spending on tobacco and healthcare expenditures attributable to tobacco use were subtracted from their monthly expenditures. It also aims to estimate the extent to which tobacco use increases the probability of poverty status in India.

AIMS AND METHODS

We quantify the increase in poverty by multiplying the difference between headcount ratios with and without tobacco-related spending by population size. We use propensity score matching to estimate the extent to which tobacco use increases the probability of poverty.

RESULTS

About 18.4 million (1.5% of all Indians) are pushed into poverty due to either direct tobacco-related expenditures or tobacco-related healthcare spending. Tobacco use increases households' likelihood of being poor by 3.4%-3.7%.

CONCLUSIONS

With over 22% of the global poor, achieving poverty reduction goals is a significant challenge for India. We show that this challenge is accentuated by increased tobacco spending, which pushes millions of Indians into poverty. To address this, the Government of India must implement both fiscal and non-fiscal policies that regulate tobacco use and, in turn, contribute to poverty reduction in the country.

IMPLICATIONS

Tobacco use has a disproportionate impact on lower socioeconomic groups in India, leading to increased and deeper poverty. This paper finds that, based on existing proven measures of poverty, tobacco use accounts for an additional 18.4 million poor individuals. It also shows that tobacco use increases the likelihood of a household being classified as poor by 3.4% to 3.7%. As India is home to a significant proportion of the global poor, addressing tobacco use becomes crucial for global and domestic poverty reduction goals. Fiscal and non-fiscal policies can be used to regulate tobacco and potentially reduce poverty levels in India.

Perception and behavior toward neuropsychiatric disorders in Saudi Arabia: A systematic review and quality assessment

LAY ABSTRACT

In 2010, Saudi Arabia became the first country from the Gulf Cooperation Council states to join the World Mental Health Survey Initiative, which collaborates with Harvard University and has undertaken over 33 countries. The Saudi National Mental Health Survey revealed that 80% of Saudis with severe mental health disorders do not seek treatment. Considering the strong evidence set out in Saudi national study and the recommendations for future research, this systematic literature review was initiated to examine the most studied neurodevelopmental disorders reported in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to explore public knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors. Findings have shown that attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and autism spectrum disorder have been the most studied neurodevelopmental disorders in Saudi Arabia since 2010. However, various groups in Saudi society, including healthcare professionals, medical students, and the general public, lacked knowledge about these health conditions, often leading to stigmatized attitudes and behaviors toward people with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and autism spectrum disorder. However, demographic data showed that most of the studies were carried out in the Central and Western provinces. More research is needed in all regions of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to contribute to the knowledge about mental health conditions of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and autism spectrum disorder children and their parents to increase knowledge about neurodevelopmental disorders and mental health disorders in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, thereby enabling people to rethink their attitudes and behavior.