Tobacco farming is often promoted as a profitable livelihood in developing countries, yet it imposes significant health and socioeconomic burdens on farmers. This study investigates the health hazards associated with tobacco cultivation and the health-seeking behaviors of farmers in rural Bangladesh, with a focus on the emerging tobacco-growing region of Jhenaidah. Using a qualitative-dominant mixed-methods approach, data were collected from 60 families in Dudhsar village, Shailkupa Upazila, through surveys, semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions, key informant interviews, and observations. Quantitative results indicate a high prevalence of acute health issues: 80% of farmers reported physical weakness, 65% respiratory problems, 63% shortness of breath, 40% headaches and dizziness, and 27% nausea linked to GTS. Long-term health effects included asthma (11%), tuberculosis (13%), and chronic respiratory difficulties (8%).

Gender-disaggregated data show that 47% of women experienced physical weakness and 45% body pain, while 31% of children suffered from stomach pain and 28% from diarrhea. Healthcare-seeking behavior is severely constrained: 50% of farmers sought care only at the severe illness stage, 33.3% relied on local village doctors, and 33.3% cited financial constraints as the main barrier to accessing formal healthcare. This study contributes to the literature by providing novel empirical evidence from an understudied tobacco-growing district, quantifying the disproportionate gendered and pediatric health burdens, and revealing a critical cultural perception gap where occupational illness is normalized as “hard work.” The findings underscore the urgent need for integrated public health interventions, including the formal recognition and management of GTS within primary healthcare, targeted gender- and child-sensitive safety programs, and policy efforts to support sustainable alternative livelihoods for tobacco-dependent communities.

tobacco cultivation green tobacco sickness health hazard health-seeking behavior Bangladesh