Relationship between self-esteem levels and smoking behavior in soldiers

Aim: This study was planned to determine the relationship between soldiers' self-esteem levels and smoking behavior. Material and Method: The universe of the research was formed by private soldiers and non-coms of İnönü Kışlası in May 2016. The sample is not selected in the survey. It is aimed to reach 283 private soldiers / non-coms, which is the whole of the universe, but it has reached 254 people. Data form containing socio-demographic characteristics, questions that measure smoking attitudes and behaviors, "Fagerstom Nicotine Dependence Test" and "Self-esteem Scale" were used to in data collection. The data obtained from the study were evaluated using computer, frequency and percentage distribution, anova, t test, correlation. Results: 72.4% of the soldiers are in the age range of 20-25, 68.1% are graduated from high school and over, and 56.3% are in the middle income level. Socio-demographic data showed that self-esteem increased with increasing age, income and education level (p<0.05). 59% of the soldiers are smokers and 48.6% of the smokers are low-level nicotine addicts. It was found that the reason to start smoking was mostly the social environment, the most important factor of increasing of smoking during the military service was stress, the average of self-esteem points decreased in the later periods of military service. The relation between self-esteem total point average and self-esteem subscales and nicotine dependence was not found (r: -0.092, p:0.264). Conclusion: There was no relationship between self-esteem and nicotine dependence, sociodemographic data showed that self-esteem increased as age, income and education level increased. It was determined that smoking increased and self-esteem points average decreased during military service. It would be beneficial for nurses to prevent starting smoking, educate smokers on the methods of quitting and cope with stress, and take initiatives that would increase the level of self-esteem of the soldiers.