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Cigarette use among adults with and without serious mental illness

Arthur Hughes, MS, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 1 Choke Cherry Road, Room 7-1044, Rockville, MD 20857, 240-276-1261, ahughes@samhsa.gov and Joan Epstein, MS, SAMHSA, 1 Choke Cherry Road, Room 7-1044, Rockville, MD 20857.

The National Survey on Drug Use and Health includes a series of questions designed to assess serious mental illness (SMI) among adults aged 18 or older. SMI is defined as a DSM-IV mental disorder that resulted in functional impairment in the past 12 months. In 2002, approximately 8 percent of adults had SMI, while 28 percent smoked cigarettes in the past month. SMI is highly correlated with cigarette use among adults in the U.S. Among those with SMI in 2002, 45 percent smoked cigarettes during the past month, while the rate of cigarette use among those without SMI was 26 percent. Using 2002 and 2003 data, cigarette use trends among those with and without SMI will be investigated. SMI is higher among women (10 percent vs. 6.0 percent); however, past month cigarette use is higher among men (31 percent vs. 25 percent). So included in this investigation will be the examination of gender and race differences in the co-occurrence of cigarette use and SMI. This presentation will also examine factors that contribute to the high prevalence of smoking in the SMI population and whether persons with SMI are more or less likely to be nicotine dependent or to discontinue cigarette use.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of this session, the participant will be able to

Keywords: Smoking, Mental Health

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.

Interventions for Co-Morbidity

The 132nd Annual Meeting (November 6-10, 2004) of APHA