Starting to Smoke in the Navy: When, Where, and Why.
Abstract
This study followed a group of recruits for one year after they entered the Navy to determine when, where, and why men started smoking during their first year in the service. Two hundred sixty-two of the original 682 participants returned the one-year follow-up information. Twenty-eight percent of the sample were self-reported smokers upon entry into the Navy. One year later 41% classified themselves as smokers. Of those who started smoking during their first year, 42% started within their first two months of service (i.e., during recruit training), and another 32% started during their third month in the Navy. In addition to the 42% who started during recruit training, 39% started while attending training school, and 15% started while stationed aboard a ship during their first year of service. The most frequently cited reasons for starting to smoke were: curiosity, friends smoking, calming effect, and wanting to be 'cool.' Because many individuals begin smoking soon after joining the Navy, effective prevention programs need to be implemented in recruit training and repeated in early training schools. (sdw)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Feb 28, 1989
- Accession Number
- ADA219354
Entities
People
- Suzanne L. Kaszas
- Terry A. Cronan
- Terry L. Conway
Organizations
- Naval Health Research Center