Cigarette smoking in the Oregon air national guard: Findings from a health promotions survey

• Published in: Military medicine 2001-09, Vol.166 (9), p.774-776
• Main Authors: MESSECAR, Deborah C, SULLIVAN, Cindi
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Addictive behaviors; Adult; Adult and adolescent clinical studies; Age Distribution; Age groups; Biological and medical sciences; Cigarettes; General aspects; Health behavior; Humans; Medical sciences; Military personnel; Military Personnel - statistics & numerical data; Military reserves; Oregon - epidemiology; Planification. Prevention (methods). Intervention. Evaluation; Polls & surveys; Population; Prevalence; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Public health. Hygiene; Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine; Regression Analysis; Smoking - epidemiology; Smoking Cessation; Surveys and Questionnaires; Tobacco; Tobacco smoking; Trends
• ISSN: 0026-4075; 1930-613X
• DOI: 10.1093/milmed/166.9.774

The purpose of this study was to assess the prevalence of smoking among demographic subgroups in the Oregon Air National Guard (ORANG), examine demographic predictors of current smoking, and describe interest in smoking cessation classes. During the autumn of 1995, 1,000 surveys were distributed through unit medical liaisons to ORANG personnel. A total of 589 (59%) surveys were returned. Overall smoking prevalence was 19%. The percentage of smokers who reported heavy smoking (one or more packs per day) was highest among enlisted personnel in the middle (46.9%) and highest (71.4%) pay grades and in the oldest age group (63.4%). Cigarette consumption per day was significantly higher in the oldest age group (F = 3.92, df = 3/107, p < 0.01). In separate logistic regression models, neither age, full-time technician vs. traditional National Guard status, nor pay grade were significant predictors of smoking in either enlisted or officer personnel. Substantial interest in smoking cessation programs was identified.