[Smoking in young military men: attitudes and characteristics]

This study aimed to determine the attitudes toward smoking and the characteristics of smoking patterns in young men of military age. Individuals performing their military service were surveyed using a self-administered, anonymous, personal and voluntary questionnaire. Questions were included on smoking habits, social context, and desire to quit. Responses were received from 386 (93.46%) subjects, all male, whose mean age was 20.52 +/- 2.3 years. The sample included 207 smokers (53.62%), 173 non smokers (44.81%) and 6 ex-smokers (1.55%). Mean age of initiation was 15.07 +/- 2.4 years and mean age of start of habitual smoking was 16.46 +/- 2.2 years. The main reasons for starting to smoke were curiosity (39.73%) and peer pressure (29.45%). Between 11 and 20 cigarettes/day were smoked by 53.74%. Those who began before 18 years of age smoked more than those who began after age 19. Light tobacco was smoked by 90.87%. Non smokers had fewer friends and family members who smoked than did smokers (p < 0.05). The proportion of moderate smokers was 78.85%. Forty-three percent were found to be in a phase of thinking about quitting, and 48.19% had previously tried to quit. Anxiety is the most common cause of re-commencement. Stress was cited most often as the reason for increased smoking. We conclude that the prevalence of daily smoking is high among young men, who begin smoking regularly at 16 years of age. Those who begin later smoke less. The influence of friends and family members on initiation and maintenance of smoking is great. Half the smokers contemplated quitting and reported a high number of earlier attempts to stop. We believe that military quarters are an ideal place for health education and promotion, offering the possibility of designing special programs for decreasing the prevalence of smoking among adults.