Evaluation of an educational intervention for military tobacco users

• Published in: Military medicine Vol. 166; no. 12; pp. 1094 - 1098
• Main Author: MORGAN, Beverly J
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Bethesda, MD Association of Military Surgeons 01.12.2001; Oxford University Press
• Subjects: Abstinence; Armed forces; Behavior; Biological and medical sciences; Chi-Square Distribution; Education; Health Promotion; Humans; Male; Males; Medical sciences; Military Personnel; Program Evaluation; Questionnaires; Smoking cessation; Surveys and Questionnaires; Tobacco; Tobacco Use Cessation - methods; Tobacco, tobacco smoking; Toxicology; United States; United States; United States > US; Human; Toxicology; Methodology; Education; Psychology; Tobacco smoking; Selection criterion; Intention; Behavior; Military
• ISSN: 0026-4075; 1930-613X
• DOI: 10.1093/milmed/166.12.1094

This study evaluated the short-term effect of a one-time tobacco hazard education intervention on tobacco use and intention to quit among military tobacco users. Of the 151 Army infantry soldiers who received the intervention, 60 (40%) participated in a 1-month follow-up survey. Respondents' reported pre-intervention tobacco habits included 51% smoking, 22% smokeless tobacco use, and 27% both. A one-group, posttest-only design demonstrated a decline in tobacco use in more than half of tobacco users: 14% quit, and 37% decreased use. However, 46% stayed the same, and 3% increased use. A statistically significant difference in tobacco use existed among the three subgroups of tobacco users (p = 0.004). Smokeless-tobacco-only users were more likely to quit than smoking-only or combined users. Eighty percent had positive thoughts or actions toward quitting tobacco use after the intervention. Results suggest that a one-time tobacco education intervention can positively influence tobacco use in the short term and motivate tobacco users toward quitting.