The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA

Abstract #67168

Harry A. Lando, PhD¹, Jennifer E. Taylor, MA², C. Keith Haddock, PhD², W.S. Carlos Poston, PhD, MPH², G. Wayne Talcott, PhD³, and Lisa Schmidt, RN⁴. (1) School of Public Health, University of Minnesota, Division of Epidemiology, 1300 South Second Street, Suite 300, Minneapolis, MN 55454, 612-624-1877, lando@epi.umn.edu, (2) Department of Psychology, University of Missouri-Kansas City, 4825 Troost, suite 124, Kansas City, MO 64110, (3) Community Prevention Division, United States Air Force, Air Force Medical Operations Agency, Office of the Surgeon General, Brooks AFB, TX 78235, (4) AFMOA/SGZP, United States Air Force, 110 Luke Avenue, Room 405, Bolling AFB, DC 20032

Smoking among young adults is a major problem in the military. Recent survey data indicate that 39.1% of enlisted personnel between the ages of 18 and 25 smoke cigarettes. The official policy of the Department of Defense is to discourage smoking and other tobacco use. Consumption of tobacco is strictly prohibited during basic military training. Despite this ban, however, smoking prevalence has been shown to increase during the first year of military service. Initiation of smoking is relatively common even among those who claim to have never smoked so much as a puff prior to entering the military. We have attempted in two prior studies to intervene in Air Force basic military training to reduce tobacco use with limited success. We are now undertaking a more comprehensive approach in four branches of the armed services. We are including both individual and community intervention with particular emphasis on the 18 to 24 year old population. The intervention consists of a leadership and policy plan, a community action board, a plan for intervention in primary care and dental settings, basic tobacco cessation skills training, programs targeted specifically at junior enlisted personnel, and social marketing. We will report on preliminary implementation of this comprehensive approach with particular emphasis on young adults.

Learning Objectives:

• to know how military training and work affects tobacco use in young adults; to know about an innovative program that is trying to discourage tobacco use in the military

Keywords: Tobacco, Worksite

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.