TABLE 1.
Baseline Characteristics of Nonsmoking US Service Members by Smoking Initiation Status (2001–2012)*
| Characteristics | All Participants (N) | Initiated Smoking by Follow-up (%) | Subsample With PTSD† (N) | Initiated Smoking by Follow-up (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sample | 44,968 | 6.5 | 1622 | 10.4 |
|
| ||||
| Demographic covariates | ||||
| Age at enrollment (years) | ||||
| 17–24 | 13,532 | 9.7 | 726 | 12.9 |
| 25–34 | 17,452 | 5.5 | 558 | 7.7 |
| 35–44 | 10,566 | 4.8 | 257 | 10.9 |
| 45 or older | 3418 | 4.8 | 81 | 3.7 |
| Sex | ||||
| Male | 30,301 | 6.1 | 963 | 10.7 |
| Female | 14,667 | 4.4 | 659 | 9.9 |
| Race/ethnicity | ||||
| White, non-Hispanic | 31,043 | 5.8 | 1057 | 10.7 |
| Black, non-Hispanic | 5812 | 3.7 | 239 | 10.5 |
| Other | 8113 | 5.8 | 326 | 9.2 |
| Education | ||||
| High school or less | 5924 | 10.6 | 347 | 13.3 |
| Some college/associate degree | 20,801 | 7.4 | 928 | 10.6 |
| Bachelor’s degree or higher | 18,243 | 4.2 | 347 | 6.9 |
| Marital status | ||||
| Never married | 14,637 | 7.8 | 664 | 11.1 |
| Married | 26,105 | 5.8 | 706 | 9.6 |
| Divorced/separated/widowed | 4226 | 6.6 | 252 | 10.3 |
| Military pay grade | ||||
| Junior enlisted | 23,783 | 8.3 | 1235 | 11.4 |
| Senior enlisted | 7736 | 5.7 | 194 | 7.7 |
| Officer/warrant officer | 13,449 | 3.9 | 193 | 6.2 |
| Military service-related covariates | ||||
| Service branch | ||||
| Army | 19,520 | 7.4 | 915 | 10.7 |
| Navy/Coast Guard | 8135 | 5.9 | 265 | 9.1 |
| Marine Corps | 3050 | 8.5 | 181 | 11.0 |
| Air Force | 14,263 | 5.3 | 261 | 10.0 |
| Occupation | ||||
| Combat specialist | 8363 | 6.1 | 271 | 11.1 |
| Healthcare | 5774 | 5.6 | 184 | 11.4 |
| Other | 30,831 | 6.8 | 1167 | 10.0 |
| Service component | ||||
| Reserve/National Guard | 17,750 | 5.5 | 545 | 10.1 |
| Active duty | 27,218 | 5.6 | 1077 | 10.5 |
| Combat deployment during follow-up‡ | ||||
| Not deployed | 35,994 | 6.2 | 1067 | 10.0 |
| Deployed, no combat | 3798 | 6.8 | 98 | 11.2 |
| Deployed, with combat | 5176 | 8.4 | 457 | 10.9 |
| Deployed prior to enrollment | ||||
| No | 37,112 | 6.8 | 1443 | 10.7 |
| Yes | 7856 | 5.4 | 179 | 7.8 |
| Separated from military service | ||||
| No | 32,437 | 6.4 | 944 | 9.6 |
| Yes | 12,531 | 6.9 | 678 | 11.4 |
| Health-related covariates | ||||
| Physical component summary score§ | ||||
| 1–15 | 5029 | 7.4 | 546 | 11.4 |
| 16–85 | 32,079 | 6.5 | 741 | 10.8 |
| 86–100 | 7860 | 6.1 | 335 | 7.8 |
| Life stressors|| | ||||
| None | 27,621 | 6.3 | 553 | 9.4 |
| 1 events | 11,508 | 6.6 | 463 | 10.4 |
| 2+ events | 5839 | 7.3 | 606 | 11.2 |
| Panic or anxiety disorder¶ | ||||
| No | 44,002 | 6.4 | 1099 | 9.7 |
| Yes | 966 | 10.2 | 523 | 11.7 |
| Depression¶ | ||||
| No | 43,742 | 6.5 | 943 | 10.9 |
| Yes | 1226 | 8.9 | 679 | 9.6 |
| Alcohol misuse** | ||||
| No | 24,938 | 4.9 | 739 | 7.3 |
| Yes | 20,030 | 8.5 | 883 | 12.9 |
| BMI (kg/m2) | ||||
| <24.9 | 19,423 | 6.5 | 649 | 11.4 |
| 25–29.9 | 21,432 | 6.7 | 725 | 10.2 |
| ≥30 | 4113 | 5.7 | 248 | 8.1 |
For all participants, all characteristics differed significantly (p < 0.05) by smoking status, except military separation and body mass index (BMI). For the subpopulation with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), the characteristics that differed by smoking status were age, education, military pay grade, and alcohol misuse.
Subsample of all participants who screened positive on the PTSD Checklist using Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, Fourth Edition criteria.
Combat was defined as report of witnessing (1) a person’s death due to war, disaster, or tragic event; (2) instances of physical abuse (torture, beating, rape); (3) dead and/or decomposing bodies; (4) maimed soldiers/civilians; or (5) prisoners of war/refugees.
Scored using the Medical Outcomes Study Short Form 36-Item Health Survey for Veterans.
Life stressors include items such as divorce, bankruptcy, sexual assault, death of loved one.
Identified using the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ).
Positive screen for alcohol-related problems on the PHQ or self-report of drinking over recommended daily or weekly limits (men: >5 drinks/occasion or >14 drinks/week, women: >4 drinks/occasion or >7 drinks/week).