Factors associated with smoking behaviour change in UK military personnel.

Background: Research in the UK civilian population suggests that poor mental health outcomes are associated with smoking behaviour. In the UK military population, smoking cessation is associated with deployment in the reserve forces. However, little is known about the links between mental health outcomes and smoking initiation and cessation in the UK military.

Aims: The aim of this longitudinal study was to examine change in mental health and military factors associated with smoking initiation and cessation in a representative sample of UK military personnel.

Methods: Data were collected between 2003 and 2009; 5138 regular and reserve military personnel were included in the analyses.

Results: The results showed that smoking initiation was associated with symptoms of psychological distress, symptoms of probable post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), relationship breakdown and deployment.

Conclusions: These findings are consistent with existing research in civilian populations showing links between poor mental health and smoking behaviour. Furthermore, our finding that deployment is associated with smoking initiation is also in line with research from the US military and UK reserves.