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Nicotine Dependence and Its Risk Factors Among Users of Veterans Health Services, 2008-2009

INTRODUCTION: Tobacco use is the leading preventable cause of death in the United States and is disproportionately higher among veterans than nonveterans. We examined the prevalence of nicotine dependence and its associated risk factors among veterans who used health services in the US Department of...

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Autores principales: Tsai, Jack, Edens, Ellen L., Rosenheck, Robert A.
Formato: Online Artículo Texto
Lenguaje:English
Publicado: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 2011
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3221569/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22005620
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author Tsai, Jack
Edens, Ellen L.
Rosenheck, Robert A.
author_facet Tsai, Jack
Edens, Ellen L.
Rosenheck, Robert A.
author_sort Tsai, Jack
collection PubMed
description INTRODUCTION: Tobacco use is the leading preventable cause of death in the United States and is disproportionately higher among veterans than nonveterans. We examined the prevalence of nicotine dependence and its associated risk factors among veterans who used health services in the US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) system. METHODS: Using a case-control design, we compared all VA health service users in fiscal year 2008-2009 (N = 5,031,381) who received a nicotine dependence diagnosis with those who did not. Independent risk and protective factors associated with receiving a nicotine dependence diagnosis were identified using logistic regression analysis. We conducted subgroup analyses on 2 groups of particular policy concern: homeless veterans and veterans who served in Iraq and Afghanistan. RESULTS: Among all recent VA health service users, 15% (n = 749,353) received a diagnosis of nicotine dependence. Substance abuse, other mental health diagnoses, and homelessness were identified as major risk factors. Veterans who served in Iraq and Afghanistan were not found to be at increased risk compared to veterans from other war eras. Major risk and protective factors within the subgroups of homeless veterans and veterans who served in Iraq and Afghanistan were broadly similar to those in the general VA population. CONCLUSION: Given that other studies have found higher rates of nicotine dependence among veterans, this risk behavior may be underdiagnosed in VA medical records. Veterans who are homeless or have mental health or substance abuse problems are at highest risk and should be targeted for smoking prevention and cessation interventions. These results support, in principle, efforts to integrate smoking cessation programs with mental health and homeless services.
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spelling pubmed-32215692011-12-05 Nicotine Dependence and Its Risk Factors Among Users of Veterans Health Services, 2008-2009 Tsai, Jack Edens, Ellen L. Rosenheck, Robert A. Prev Chronic Dis Original Research INTRODUCTION: Tobacco use is the leading preventable cause of death in the United States and is disproportionately higher among veterans than nonveterans. We examined the prevalence of nicotine dependence and its associated risk factors among veterans who used health services in the US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) system. METHODS: Using a case-control design, we compared all VA health service users in fiscal year 2008-2009 (N = 5,031,381) who received a nicotine dependence diagnosis with those who did not. Independent risk and protective factors associated with receiving a nicotine dependence diagnosis were identified using logistic regression analysis. We conducted subgroup analyses on 2 groups of particular policy concern: homeless veterans and veterans who served in Iraq and Afghanistan. RESULTS: Among all recent VA health service users, 15% (n = 749,353) received a diagnosis of nicotine dependence. Substance abuse, other mental health diagnoses, and homelessness were identified as major risk factors. Veterans who served in Iraq and Afghanistan were not found to be at increased risk compared to veterans from other war eras. Major risk and protective factors within the subgroups of homeless veterans and veterans who served in Iraq and Afghanistan were broadly similar to those in the general VA population. CONCLUSION: Given that other studies have found higher rates of nicotine dependence among veterans, this risk behavior may be underdiagnosed in VA medical records. Veterans who are homeless or have mental health or substance abuse problems are at highest risk and should be targeted for smoking prevention and cessation interventions. These results support, in principle, efforts to integrate smoking cessation programs with mental health and homeless services. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 2011-10-15 /pmc/articles/PMC3221569/ /pubmed/22005620 Text en https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/This is a publication of the U.S. Government. This publication is in the public domain and is therefore without copyright. All text from this work may be reprinted freely. Use of these materials should be properly cited.
spellingShingle Original Research
Tsai, Jack
Edens, Ellen L.
Rosenheck, Robert A.
Nicotine Dependence and Its Risk Factors Among Users of Veterans Health Services, 2008-2009
title Nicotine Dependence and Its Risk Factors Among Users of Veterans Health Services, 2008-2009
title_full Nicotine Dependence and Its Risk Factors Among Users of Veterans Health Services, 2008-2009
title_fullStr Nicotine Dependence and Its Risk Factors Among Users of Veterans Health Services, 2008-2009
title_full_unstemmed Nicotine Dependence and Its Risk Factors Among Users of Veterans Health Services, 2008-2009
title_short Nicotine Dependence and Its Risk Factors Among Users of Veterans Health Services, 2008-2009
title_sort nicotine dependence and its risk factors among users of veterans health services, 2008-2009
topic Original Research
url https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3221569/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22005620
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