SMOKING BEHAVIOR OF MILITARY NURSES: THE IMPACT OF JOB STRESS, JOB SATISFACTION AND SOCIAL SUPPORT.
Contributors: University of Maryland, College Park.
Published: 1988
Number of pages: 203
Subjects: Health Sciences, Nursing.
Description: Smoking has been identified as the most preventable cause of premature morbidity and mortality in the U.S. Health care providers are in a unique position to influence smoking behavior. However, literature indicates that nurses have not changed their smoking behavior as have other health care providers. In order for them to provide appropriate patient education and to be effective role models in personal behaviors, they must become nonsmokers. The military has a high prevalence of smoking behavior but research has yet to establish the smoking prevalence among its nurses.

Within the theoretical framework of Green's Health Education Model, this survey established the prevalence of smoking among military nurses and examined the possible influence of job stress, job satisfaction and social support. A pilot study was conducted at a small military community hospital (n = 42; response rate = 100%) and the primary study was conducted at a large military medical center (n = 315; response rate = 97.5%).The study subjects included all active duty nurses assigned at both facilities. These samples were shown to be representative of the larger Army Nurse Corps population.

In addition to basic demographic and smoking information, the survey consisted of standardized instruments for Nursing Job Stress (Hinshaw and Atwood), Nursing Job Satisfaction (Hinshaw and Atwood) and Social Support (Sarason). Military nursing smoking prevalence rates were found to be 19.5% (pilot) and 21.8% (primary). Analysis of Variance revealed that current smokers reported significantly more (p $\leq$.05) job stress, job dissatisfaction, and less social support than former or never smokers. The amount smoked by current smokers was correlated with job stress, job satisfaction, and social support scores. Findings were not significant for job stress and social support, but were modestly significant for job satisfaction (p $\leq$.05).

These findings have important considerations for health educators in the design of a smoking cessation program for this population, indicating that job stress, job satisfaction, and social support all influence the smoking behavior of military nurses.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 49-07, Section: B, page: 2566.

Thesis (PH.D.)--UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND COLLEGE PARK, 1988.

School code: 0117.