Abstract:
This study was a cross-sectional research survey aiming to study smoking behavior of naval rating students and their responses toward the Tobacco Consumption Control Policy of the Royal Thai Navy in the Naval Rating Schools. The research conceptual framework was developed by applying the mufti-factor analysis of health behavior of PRECEDE PROCEED Model. The samples were 509 naval rating students who were selected by employing the stratified random sampling method in accordance with the size of the schools ; large, medium and small. Sample random sampling then was applied to select the samples from each selected school. The data were collected by using the self-administered question naire developed by the researcher that was validated before using. The data were analysed by computing the relationship between the variables by using Chi-Square and One Way ANOVA.
The research findings showed that 84.1 percent of the samples did not smoke and 15.9 percent did. Among those students who smoked, these were 3 groups : those who reduced the number of cigarettes smoked when they enrolled in the Naval Rating School (51.9%); those who continued smoking at the same rate (44.4%); and those who were new cigarette smokers (3.7%). The reasons for being a new smoker were curiosity and imitation of friends or persuasion by friends. Receiving information about the adverse effects of cigarettes to health was the reason for decreasing the quantity of cigarettes smoked. The factor that was found to be related to the change of the samples smoking behavior was having a close friend who smoked. The factors that were found not to be related significantly to smoking behavior were : educational background; having family members who smoked ; seeing the shop that sells cigarettes in their school and a place where they could buy cigarettes. No significant difference was found among the groups of the respondents who smoked, who reduced the number of cigarettes smoked, and who continued smoking, in regard to knowledge regarding the adverse effects of cigarette smoking on health, knowledge about Non-smokers Health Protection Act B.E. 2535, perceptions and opinions toward the Tobacco consumption
Control Policy of the Royal Thai Navy. However, a significant difference was found among these 3 groups in regard to the perceived severity of cigarette smoking. In regard to the responses toward the Tobacco Consumption Control Policy of the Royal Thai Navy in the Naval Rating Schools, it was found that tobacco consumption control activities were carried out in accordance with the orders given by the central office. The Tobacco Consumption Control Committees, the project officers, and activity officers were established and appointed in order to carry out the tobacco consumption control program in the Naval Rating Schools. The activities performed were the survey of smoking behaviors among the students, organizing quit smoking activities, lecturing on knowledge about cigarettes, and setting the school environment in accordance with the Non-Smokers. Health Protection Act B.E.2535. A high percentage of the school directors and the officers who were responsible for implementing cigarette smoking control program in the schools agreed with the tobacco consumption control policy of the Royal Thai Navy and they recommended that the activities should be carried out continuously by using the budget of the Royal Thai Navy. It is recommendation that the Royal Thai Navy should have and implement a health promotion policy for all
naval staff and officers particularly smoking behavior. The Royal Thai Navy should also follow-up, evaluate and supervise the activities continuously. Smoking behavior should be set as one of the enrollment criteria for selecting naval rating personnel. In regard to the smoking prevention activities organized in the naval rating schools, the focus should be on the development of a sense to the perceived severity of smoking problems, as well as the use of group processes and the participation of students and teachers in solving smoking problems at the schools.