Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #121227

Joyce M. Johnson, DO, MA, Battelle Centers for Public Health Research & Evaluation, 1550 Crystal Drive, Suite 601, Crystal City, VA 22202, 703-416-8172, johnsonjm@battelle.org

This presentation will provide an overview of military members including gender, ethnicity, education, socioeconomic status and marital status. The demographics of military members, particularly enlisted members, mirror those of smokers in the civilian population. Tobacco use has negative effects on force readiness and performance, and as a result the military has supported tobacco use prevention and cessation programs for two decades. Because each branch of military service has a unique mission, it presents unique challenges for tobacco control. The Coast Guard experience will be described.

Learning Objectives:

• • Describe the demographics of the US Armed Forces and the parallels with non-military smokers.
• • Provide insights into how the unique challenges of the Coast Guard affected their tobacco control program.

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.