Prevalence and Associated Factors of Cigarette Smoking Among Ethiopian Military Personnel

Abstract

Abstract Background: Smoking is one of the maladaptive coping behaviors found in military settings. Some of the motives for military personnel to smoke include reducing stress and meeting social needs. Active smoking is associated with various cancers and aggravates acute and chronic diseases, potentially compromising soldiers’ health and combat readiness. Objective: This study aimed to assess the magnitude and associated factors of cigarette smoking among Ethiopian military personnel. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among active-duty military personnel recruited from both the Ground Force and the Air Force of the National Defense Forces of Ethiopia. The study enrolled 522 participants. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire and analyzed with SPSS version 24. A bivariate and a multivariable binary logistic regression were performed to investigate factors associated with cigarette smoking. Results: A total of 502 military personnel participated in the study, yielding a response rate of 96.2%. Of these, 89 (17.7%) were women and 413 (82.3%) were men. The median age (interquartile range) was 25.0 (IQR: 22.0 - 34.0) years. At the time of the study, 39 participants (7.8%) (95% CI: 5.6%-10.4%) of the respondents reported currently smoking (daily or occasionally). Sex-specific prevalence was 8.0% (n=32) among males and 6.7% (n=6) among females. Twenty-three participants (4.6%) reported smoking a cigarette every day, of whom 21 (4.2%) were classified as heavy smokers. The mean (± standard deviation) age of cigarette smoking initiation was 18.4 ± 5.9 years. After controlling for potential confounders, current alcohol consumption was significantly associated with cigarette smoking, with an AOR of 5.27 (95% CI: 2.13-13.05). Conclusion: The magnitude of cigarette smoking among Ethiopian military personnel was lower than that of military populations in other countries, yet it exceeded the rates reported for the general Ethiopian population, both overall and when stratified by sex. Targeted prevention strategies and early cessation intervention programs are essential to protect military personnel's health and maintain operational combat readiness. [Ethiop. J. Health Dev. 2026; 40(1)] Keywords: Cigarette smoking, Associated factors, Military personnel, Ethiopia.