Operation Stay Quit: evaluation of two smoking relapse prevention strategies for women after involuntary cessation during US Navy recruit training

Mil Med. 2004 Mar;169(3):236-42. doi: 10.7205/milmed.169.3.236.

Abstract

The present study evaluated two relapse-prevention interventions intended to help women smokers maintain the "quit status" mandated during Navy basic training. Women with any smoking experience before entering the Navy (N = 2,781) were assigned to either a control group or to one of two intervention groups (access to a telephone help line or receive a series of monthly mailings) after graduating from basic training. Smoking/quit rates at 3, 6, and 12 months after graduation were assessed with mailed surveys. Response rates to the surveys ranged from 39% to 52%. There were no phone or mail intervention effects: cessation rates for the three conditions at the 12-month follow-up were 43% for control, 45% for the mail intervention, and 41% for the phone intervention. Results suggest the need for more aggressive relapse-prevention efforts, although quit rates were higher than expected "spontaneous" quit rates, indicating an impact of the totally smoke-free recruit training environment.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Evaluation Study
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Female
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Health Promotion / methods*
  • Hotlines
  • Humans
  • Logistic Models
  • Military Personnel / psychology*
  • Postal Service
  • Program Evaluation
  • Recurrence
  • Smoking / epidemiology
  • Smoking Cessation / methods*
  • Smoking Prevention*
  • United States / epidemiology
  • Women's Health*