RANDOLPH AIR FORCE BASE, Texas –
The Department of Defense's largely successful Tobacco Cessation program, administered through local Health and Wellness Centers, has helped countless servicemembers quit smoking through its education and prevention campaign.
Team Randolph's tobacco usage rate is the lowest of all Air Education and Training Command bases, according to an exercise physiologist at the base's Health and Wellness Center.
"As far as a base goes, we are doing super-great," said Kimberly Houk, 12th Medical Group health promotion flight chief. "We're very low, compared to the entire Air Force."
Recent data from the Air Force Corporate Health Information Processing Service Web page shows 13.7 percent of Team Randolph members use tobacco products. AFCHIPS uses information gleaned from dental exams to determine tobacco usage rates.
Ms. Houk added the Air Force, whose ultimate goal is zero tobacco products usage, has a "Healthy People" goal of 12 percent usage for 2010.
"Please keep in mind," she said, "trends do fluctuate during PCS time. Maintaining slight increases or decreases by 1 percent during this time frame is a good indicator that we are doing well."
According to AFCHIPS the Web site, the Air Force as a whole reported a 23.7 percent tobacco usage rate. It also stated AETC's rate overall was 18.3 percent and the 12th Flying Training Wing sits at 14.9 percent. Within the wing, Wing Staff Agencies come in at 9 percent, the 12th Medical Group rates 13.5 percent, the 12th Operations Group is at 8.5 percent and the 12th Mission Support Group soars above it's peers at 24.8 percent.
Those percentages can be whittled down because Team Randolph Airmen who are serious about quitting tobacco have options, Ms. Houk said.
One option available to Airmen, is the American Cancer Society's "Fresh Start" program, which consists of attending four class sessions. Classes normally start on the second Tuesday of the month and run from 11 a.m. to noon on Tuesday and Thursday for the first week, followed by classes on two more successive Thursdays.
Usually, 12 to 20 people take each class, Ms. Houk said. The content of the class deals with triggers - like stress, drinking alcohol, having coffee in the morning, driving and post-meal times -- that people associate with smoking. Students learn how to overcome triggers and manage stress, how to eat healthily after quitting tobacco, relaxation techniques and how to develop more positive coping mechanisms or hobbies to use in place of smoking.
The second option is the American Lung Association's "Quitline," which requires students to attend one mandatory classroom session. It also requires students to have 12 telephone consultations with a facilitator, who can be reached at 1-800-548-8252 from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Central Standard Time.
"People tend to be successful with both of these options," Ms. Houk said. "The ones who attend the classes and complete the medication cycle develop a support group and the tools to quit. They tend to be more successful in quitting than ones who don't take the classes or who interrupt the medication cycle."
Another option is taking the American Lung Association's Quitline online program, which Ms. Houk said is rarely chosen by tobacco quitters. That's because quitters who follow options one or two and take the medication cycle as prescribed usually report success.
For more information, call the Randolph AFB Health and Wellness Center at 652-2300.