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Smoking cessation - the military experience
Annie Owen and Lt. Louise Storey
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Abstract
Using recommendations from an Army Pilot , the Royal Navy (RN), Army, and Defence Dental services (DDS) are currently conducting a joint project to incorporate SC services into routine primary healthcare provision for the Armed Forces.
The initial aims of this Project have included implementing initiatives to explore innovative approaches to smoking cessation, encouraging smokers to quit and addressing the uptake of smoking amongst new recruits. One third of military personnel claim to have started smoking during the first few months of joining the Armed Forces. Reducing environmental cues and attitudes that are part of an existing smoking culture within the Armed Forces, therefore reducing the uptake of smoking in younger age groups, can potentially have an impact on smoking rates.
Interface with NHS Stop Smoking Services has been a key issue. Quarterly quit data is now fed into local PCTs from clinics held at military establishments as a contribution towards the PCTs achieving their smoking cessation targets.
Coinciding with the Government White Paper "Choosing Health", smoking is one of the issues to be addressed under the Defence Health Programme (Nov 2004). The Defence Medical Services are developing Health Trainers - people who offer tailored advice, motivation and practical support to individuals who want to adopt healthier lifestyles.
"Good doctors are useless without good discipline, more than half the battle against disease is fought, not by doctors, but Regimental Officers".
The Physical Training Instructors (PTIs), who understand the culture and ethos of the military lifestyle, are seen as ideal "message bearers" between the healthcare providers (doctors and nurses) and the local community (the soldiers and naval personnel).
Armed Forces personnel do care about their health and fitness.
The overall intention is to develop a matrix smoking cessation service, so that wherever Armed Forces personnel are based, on land or at sea, they should be able to access complete support to stop smoking.
Author1: Annie Owen
Army SC Project Co-ord
Birch Farm House
Cookley, Nr Kidderminster
Worcestershire
DY11 5YA
Author 2: Lt. Louise Storey RN
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