Tobacco use and quit attempts among methadone maintenance clients

• Published in: American journal of public health (1971) Vol. 91; no. 2; pp. 296 - 299
• Main Authors: Richter, KP, Gibson, CA, Ahluwalia, JS, Schmelzle, KH
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Am Public Health Assoc 01-02-2001; American Public Health Association
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Age; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Analgesics, Opioid - therapeutic use; Approximation; Attitude to Health; Cessation; Cigarettes; Cultural differences; Drug abusers; Drug therapy; Ethnicity; Female; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; Humans; Kansas - epidemiology; Kansas City; Male; Methadone; Methadone - therapeutic use; Middle Aged; Minority & ethnic groups; Morbidity; Narcotics; Needs Assessment; Nicotine; Polls & surveys; Population; Prevalence; Public health; Questionnaires; Race; Smoking; Smoking - adverse effects; Smoking - epidemiology; Smoking - psychology; Smoking cessation; Smoking Cessation - methods; Smoking Cessation - psychology; Smoking Cessation - statistics & numerical data; Smoking Prevention; Studies; Substance abuse treatment; Substance-Related Disorders - complications; Substance-Related Disorders - drug therapy; Surveys and Questionnaires; Tobacco; Treatment; Urban Health - statistics & numerical data; USA; White people
• ISSN: 0090-0036; 1541-0048
• DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.91.2.296

This study examined tobacco use prevalence, types of tobacco used, interest in quitting, and prior quit attempts among persons in methadone maintenance treatment.
Counselors collected surveys from 84% (550 of 655) of all clients in a 4-county metropolitan area.
Most clients (77%) smoked cigarettes. Of the 59 former tobacco users, only 6 reported using a cessation pharmacotherapy to quit. Three quarters of the current smokers had attempted to quit at least once, with an average of 5 attempts. Most smokers (80%) were "somewhat" or "very" interested in quitting.
The quit ratio among methadone maintenance treatment clients was 12%, compared with 50% nationwide. To reduce morbidity and mortality, cessation interventions must be developed and disseminated.