Attitudes and Beliefs towards Smoking Cessation Medications amongst Canadian Armed Forces Personnel

摘要

Background: Despite the presence of organized multidisciplinary smoking cessation programs available at the workplace and comprehensive drug coverage, rate of tobacco use continues to be high amongst Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) personnel. Previous studies demonstrated associations between positive beliefs about smoking cessation medications (SCMs) and increased likelihood of continued abstinence and latency of relapse. There is currently limited information pertaining to the attitudes and beliefs towards smoking cessation medications amongst CAF personnel. Knowledge in this regard may aid in streamlining interventions to reduce tobacco use rate. Objective: This descriptive study aims to examine attitudes and beliefs of CAF personnel towards smoking cessation medications. Methods: An anonymous and voluntary questionnaire was included as part of departure administration procedures to gather data for this study. CAF members relocating from Canadian Forces Base Shilo, Wainwright, Petawawa and Valcartier were offered the questionnaire. Questions were developed by a focus group of health care professionals. It was subsequently reviewed by multidisciplinary clinicians, translated, and pretested on lay CAF members. Responses were collated centrally by a research nurse and descriptive analysis was done using SPSS. Results: Results were similar when stratified by tobacco use history or by geographic location. Conclusion: Only half of the respondents agreed with the efficacy of SCMs. Very few respondents expressed significant concerns with side effects or disagreement with efficacy of SCMs. Unexpectedly, previous smokers who successfully remained abstinent at the time of the study did not display differences in beliefs compared to active smokers. Education pertaining to smoking cessation medications directed at the general CAF population may be helpful in the goal of decreasing tobacco use rates across the organization.