USE OF URINE COTININE TO VALIDATE SMOKING SELF-REPORTS IN UNITED-STATES-NAVY RECRUITS

Cotinine analysis of urine has been used by many researchers to determ ine validity of smoking self-reports. This technique is easy and inexp ensive, but has not been used previously in military smoking studies. This study incorporated a random validation of self-reported smoking b y U.S. Navy recruits participating in a smoking relapse program (N = 4 96). Results of cotinine analysis indicate only a 1% misrepresentation of actual smoking status. These results suggest smoking self-reports from U.S. Navy recruits are very good indicators of actual smoking sta tus.