El consumo de tabaco en el Ecuador

Abstract

Tobacco consumption is a public health problem that hinders the development of the whole country. The health and economic burden associated with this activity is reflected about six million avoidable deaths that occur annually worldwide. Even though the consequences of tobacco consumption are well know, this activity persists and its sequelae manifest not only in one's health but also extend to the environment and the economy. The impact of smoking on the economy sector motivated the study of the so called Tobacco Economy. In this context, this paper analyzes smoking in Ecuador from the perspective of the Tobacco Economy. For this purpose, it determines the individual factors of smoking by age groups and an analysis is included of the aspects related to the tobacco control measures adopted by the country, as well as the economic implications that are generated during the tobacco process. The data used correspond to the National Health and Nutrition Survey of 2012. The results suggest that the rates of smoking in Ecuador vary when analyzed by age groups. While attendance at school and easy access to tobacco products are determining factors with the fact of smoking in adolescents, in adults the consumption of tobacco is associated with factors such as marital status, education, economic status, among others.