{
  "abstract": "Background: Tobacco smoking and alcohol consumption are major behavioural risk factors for non-communicable diseases that frequently co-occur, yet in Malawi they have typically been studied separately. This study examined the prevalence and socioeconomic correlates of concurrent (dual) tobacco smoking and alcohol consumption among Malawian men.\n\nMethods: This study used a cross-sectional secondary analysis of the 2024 Malawi Demographic and Health Survey among men aged 15–54 years in the national survey domains ( N = 8,583, after excluding 330 men in the Dzaleka refugee camp sample from 8,913 interviewed; no missing data). Dual use was current tobacco smoking together with current alcohol consumption. Survey-weighted logistic, modified Poisson and multinomial regression estimated prevalence and associated factors. Education and household wealth were adjusted for each other, employment and the other covariates in a single mutually adjusted model. Sensitivity analyses used continuous covariates, heavier drinking and any tobacco use.\n\nResults: Prevalence was 12.1% (95% CI: 11.2–12.9) for smoking, 22.7% (21.4–24.0) for alcohol consumption and 7.3% (6.6–8.1) for dual use, about 2.7 times the 2.7% expected if the behaviours were independent. Dual use rose to a plateau around ages 40–44 years (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 15.78, 95% CI: 8.13–30.62; adjusted prevalence ratio [aPR] = 12.68, 6.90–23.30, versus ages 15–19). Odds were lower among men in the richest than the poorest households (AOR = 0.42, 0.27–0.65) and among men with higher education than none (AOR = 0.40, 0.20–0.78), and higher among employed men (AOR = 1.63, 1.19–2.23). Currently married or cohabiting men had higher crude but lower adjusted odds than never-married men (AOR = 0.53, 0.35–0.78); the age-stratified association was higher at ages 15–24 years but lower from age 25 years. Previously married or separated men had higher odds (AOR = 2.04, 1.23–3.37). Wealth and education patterns resembled those for smoking only rather than alcohol consumption only.\n\nConclusions: Dual use is unevenly distributed; it is more common among older and employed men and men in the poorest households and less common among men with higher education. These are adjusted associations from cross-sectional data. Integrating tobacco and alcohol screening and cessation support within existing primary healthcare and non-communicable disease platforms may help address co-occurring use among groups with a higher prevalence.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [],
  "article_type": null,
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 1,
  "authors": [
    {
      "name": "Chimwemwe Ngoma",
      "orcid": "0000-0001-8648-1244"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/abq6w43qa0y5e.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.1186/s12889-026-30131-3",
  "fulltext_url": null,
  "id": "abq6w43qa0y5e",
  "issns": [
    "1471-2458"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12889-026-30131-3",
  "language": null,
  "licence": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "licence_label": "CC BY 4.0",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "openalex",
      "2737|Smoking Behavior and Cessation"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7223678801",
  "pdf_url": null,
  "pmcid": null,
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-10-26",
  "publisher": "Springer Science and Business Media LLC",
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/abq6w43qa0y5e.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:19:54Z",
      "native_id": "10.1186/s12889-026-30131-3",
      "source": "crossref",
      "url": "https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12889-026-30131-3"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "medicine",
      "origin": "openalex:2737|Smoking Behavior and Cessation",
      "subfield": "physiology"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Socioeconomic and demographic patterning of concurrent tobacco smoking and alcohol consumption among men in Malawi: evidence from the 2024 Malawi demographic and health survey",
  "title_text": "Socioeconomic and demographic patterning of concurrent tobacco smoking and alcohol consumption among men in Malawi: evidence from the 2024 Malawi demographic and health survey",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:19:54Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/abq6w43qa0y5e",
  "venue": "BMC Public Health",
  "versions": []
}