Gender Perspective on Drivers of Cigarette Smoking: Two Part Model Approach

An estimated 2.5 million Kenyans which is over 11 percent of the country’s adult population currently use tobacco thus informing the need to take strong action to reduce tobacco use. Therefore, this study conducted a gender analysis on drivers of cigarette smoking in Kenya. The study heavily relied on data from Kenya Global Adult Tobacco Survey 2014. Specifically, two-part model was used to establish the effect of demographic and psychosocial drivers on both smoking participation and intensity among men and women. The study found that price of cigarette had an insignificant effect on men participation in smoking while age and years spent in education had a significant and negative effect on women smoking participation. Smoking rules inside home had a negative effect on women participation in smoking while smoking policy at indoor work place had a negative and significant effect on men smoking participation. Overally, cigarette tax adjustment had a negative and significant effect on both men and women participation in smoking. Work status had a negative and very significant effect on both men and women smoking intensity. The findings, therefore, confirmed the significant effect of smoking policy and cigarette tax adjustment on both smoking participation and smoking intensity among men and women.