Date of Conferral

2017

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Public Health

Advisor

Vasileios Margaritis

Abstract

U.S. Air Force (USAF) active duty Airmenshowunusually high tobacco prevalence rates (TPR); i.e., smoke, smokeless, both(SSL-B), when compared to civilian publics in the United States. Tobacco control efforts have proven largely ineffective inlowering nicotine habits among Airmen, while outdoor designated tobacco areas (DTAs) sited near worksites and popular localeson USAF bases (USAFBs) likelyswayAirmen to continue riskynicotine habits. The aim of this inquiry was to assess whetherquantities of DTAs on USAFBs and U.S. airbases (USABs) with 4 mediator variables(quality of DTAs,sites of DTAs, execution of a tobacco cessation program, and types of tobacco cessation programs) wereassociated with TPR (SSL-B) among Airmen at 21 sampled USAF installations worldwide. Organizational cultural theory was the theoretical outline chosen. One USAF surveillance system was accessed,and a survey tool was providedby15 USAF health promotion coordinators and6base civil engineer staff.Correlation assessments and regression analyses were conducted to analyze the survey data. The results of the study revealed that there was a moderate positive correlation among quantities of DTAs and TPR(SSL-B) withAirmen across sampled USAF installations(r= .56, p< .01), and there was a low positive correlation between quantities of DTAs on lower security threat USABs and Airmenpopulace numbers(r= .10, p< .048). Quantities of DTAs were also the strongest predictor of TPR (SSL-B) among Airmen[F(2, 18) = .00, p< .013].Results indicate that fewer or no DTAs on USAFBsand USABs could positively improve the health statuses of active duty USAF Airmen and civilian forces, improve mission duties, lessen health care costs, and foster tobacco-free lifestyles as the normalized behavior on U.S. military installations, and thus promote social change.

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