U.S. Adults With Mental Illness Have Higher Smoking Rates

smoking
Share Button

smokingFrom Your Health Journal…..”A very interesting release from The Robert Wood Johnson about adults with mental illness having a higher smoking percentage rate that those with no mental illness. A study found that 36 percent of adults diagnosed with a mental illness are cigarette smokers, compared with only 21 percent of adults who have no mental illness. This was an interesting finding, and of course, the first question I have is what defines mental illness. The report states mental illness was defined as having a diagnosable mental, behavioral, or emotional disorder, excluding developmental and substance use disorders, in the past 12 months. Regardless, it is an interesting finding, and I encourage you to go to the RWJF web site to read the complete post. Maybe it can help someone you know.”

From the article…..

Adults with mental illness have a smoking rate 70 percent higher than adults with no mental illness, according to the February 2013 Vital Signs report released yesterday by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The report was done in collaboration with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and found that 36 percent of adults with a mental illness are cigarette smokers, compared with only 21 percent of adults who do not have a mental illness. Among adults with mental illness, smoking prevalence is especially high among younger adults, American Indians, Alaska Natives, those living below the poverty line, and those with lower levels of education. Differences also exist across states. Smoking prevalence for people with mental illness ranges from 18.2 percent in Utah to 48.7 percent in West Virginia. The data used to determine the smoking rates in the Vital Signs report comes from 2009–2011 National Survey on Drug Use and Health. Mental illness was defined as having a diagnosable mental, behavioral, or emotional disorder, excluding developmental and substance use disorders, in the past 12 months.

To read the complete article…..Click here