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Characterizing e-cigarette use in veteran smokers with mental health conditions

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 August 2019

John Wang Open the ORCID record for John Wang [Opens in a new window] ,
Erin Rogers ,
Steven Fu ,
Amy Gravely ,
Siamak Noorbaloochi  and
Scott Sherman
John Wang*
Affiliation:
Department of Population Health, NYU School of Medicine, 227 East 30th Street, New York, NY 10016, USA
Erin Rogers
Affiliation:
Department of Population Health, NYU School of Medicine, 227 East 30th Street, New York, NY 10016, USA VA NY Harbor Healthcare System, Research Service, 4237 East 23rd Street, New York, NY 10010, USA
Steven Fu
Affiliation:
Minneapolis VA Center for Chronic Disease Outcomes Research, One Veterans Drive (152), Minneapolis, MN 55417, USA
Amy Gravely
Affiliation:
Minneapolis VA Center for Chronic Disease Outcomes Research, One Veterans Drive (152), Minneapolis, MN 55417, USA
Siamak Noorbaloochi
Affiliation:
Minneapolis VA Center for Chronic Disease Outcomes Research, One Veterans Drive (152), Minneapolis, MN 55417, USA Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, 717 Delaware St. SE, Minneapolis, MN 55414, USA
Scott Sherman
Affiliation:
Department of Population Health, NYU School of Medicine, 227 East 30th Street, New York, NY 10016, USA VA NY Harbor Healthcare System, Research Service, 4237 East 23rd Street, New York, NY 10010, USA
*
Author for correspondence: John Wang, E-mail: wangnjoh@gmail.com
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Abstract

Introduction

The use of electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) in smokers with mental health conditions (MHC) is not well understood.

Aims

This study aims to compare e-cigarette users and non-users among veteran smokers with MHC to characterize differences in smoking behavior, motivation to quit, psychological distress, primary psychiatric diagnosis, and other factors.

Methods

Baseline survey data were used from a randomized smoking cessation trial enrolling smokers with MHC from four Veterans Health Administration hospitals. Participants were categorized as current, former (having ever tried an e-cigarette), or never e-cigarette users. Pearson's χ2 and ANOVA Type-3 F-tests were used to test the bivariate associations between e-cigarette use and variables measured.

Results

Among 1,836 participants, mean age was 58 years (STD ± 12.5), 87% were male, 15% were current e-cigarette users (n = 275), and 27% were former users (n = 503). Sixty-five percent of e-cigarette users reported ‘wanting to quit smoking’ as a primary reason. Mean readiness to quit smoking (1–10) was 7.2, 6.8, and 6.4 for current, former, and never e-cigarette users, respectively (P = 0.0002). Sixty-three percent of current and former users and 55% of never-users reported some mental distress on Kessler-6 scale (P = 0.0003, OR = 1.4, 95% CI 1.1–1.7). A primary psychiatric diagnosis of alcohol or substance use disorder was recorded for 50% of current or former users and 60% of never-users (P = 0.0003, OR = 0.69, 95% CI 0.56–0.84).

Conclusions

E-cigarette users were more ready to quit and most often reported using e-cigarettes to assist with quitting. E-cigarette users had more psychological distress and were less likely to have substance use disorders as their primary psychiatric diagnosis.

Keywords

E-cigarettemental healthveteran
Type
Original Articles
Information
Journal of Smoking Cessation , Volume 14 , Issue 4 , December 2019 , pp. 239 - 244
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s) 2019 Published by Cambridge University Press 

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