BACKGROUND:
tobacco use among women of reproductive age in urban slums is often examined from a behavioral perspective, while its household-level economic implications remain underexplored. routine expenditure on tobacco products in low-income settings may contribute to financial strain and competing priorities for essential household needs.

METHODS:
an economic assessment was conducted among women aged 18–49 years attending a public health dispensary serving an urban slum in India. tobacco-related expenditure and indicators of financial strain were assessed using a composite economic burden index integrating relative tobacco expenditure, borrowing for tobacco purchases, prioritization of tobacco over essential household needs, and perceived financial burden. participants were classified into low, moderate, and high economic burden categories based on internally defined thresholds. descriptive analyses were undertaken to characterize spending patterns and burden distribution.

RESULTS:
more than half of the participants were classified as experiencing low economic burden, while 28.0% and 16.7% fell into moderate and high burden categories, respectively. monthly tobacco expenditure accounted for a median of 4.7% of essential household spending, with a subset of women spending more than 10% of their essential budget on tobacco products. these findings indicate persistent and non-trivial financial commitment to tobacco use despite economic vulnerability.

CONCLUSIONS:
tobacco consumption among women of reproductive age in urban slum settings is associated with a measurable household-level economic burden extending beyond absolute expenditure alone. incorporating economic burden assessments into tobacco control initiatives may help highlight the financial dimensions of tobacco use among socioeconomically vulnerable women.