title: Present and past influences on current smoking among HIV-positive male veterans.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cigarette smoking has become an important influence of morbidity and mortality for HIV-positive individuals in the era of highly active antiretroviral therapy. Although smoking is common among military personnel and veterans, the lasting impact of military service on smoking at a later stage of life has not been examined. The current study investigated present and past influences on current smoking among HIV-positive male veterans.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants were 200 HIV-positive men served by the Veterans Affairs Medical Center. A survey was administered via audio-enhanced computer-assisted self-interview, and additional information was extracted from the computerized patient record system.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Logistic regression was performed to test hypotheses concerning the participants' current situations as well as characteristics of their past military service. Having smokers in one's environment, being more depressed, and having used alcohol or drugs were associated with having smoked in the previous 30 days, whereas stronger endorsement of attitudes stating adverse effects of smoking was linked to lower likelihood of smoking. Neither having been in a military conflict nor the length of the military service was significantly related to current smoking.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Remote experiences in the military did not have a sustained effect on smoking behavior years later. Implications of this study for the development of smoking cessation programs targeting HIV-positive veterans include the importance of altering attitudes about tobacco, treating underlying depression, addressing social influence, decreasing substance use, and increasing awareness of the heightened vulnerability to a variety of negative consequences of smoking among infected individuals.
authors: Department of Psychology, George Washington University, 2125 G St. NW, Washington, DC 20052, USA. creisen@gwu.edu
authors: Carol A
authors: CA
authors: Reisen
authors: Fernanda T
authors: FT
authors: Bianchi
authors: Hannah
authors: H
authors: Cohen-Blair
authors: Angelike P
authors: AP
authors: Liappis
authors: Paul J
authors: PJ
authors: Poppen
authors: Maria Cecilia
authors: MC
authors: Zea
authors: Debra A
authors: DA
authors: Benator
authors: Ann M
authors: AM
authors: Labriola
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active; D015897:Comorbidity; D003710:Demography; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D016540:Smoking Cessation; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D014728:Veterans / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*