Tobacco product use and mental health status among young adults

• Published in: Addictive behaviors Vol. 77; pp. 67 - 72
• Main Authors: King, Jessica L., Reboussin, Beth A., Spangler, John, Cornacchione Ross, Jennifer, Sutfin, Erin L.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01-02-2018; Elsevier Science Ltd
• Subjects: Adult; Adults; Anxiety; Cigarette Smoking - epidemiology; Cigarettes; College students; Colleges & universities; Comorbidity; Depressive Disorder - epidemiology; Depressive Disorder - psychology; Diagnosis; Female; Humans; Male; Mental disorders; Mental health; Minority & ethnic groups; North Carolina - epidemiology; Smoking; Smoking cessation; Smoking Devices - statistics & numerical data; Stress; Stress, Psychological - epidemiology; Stress, Psychological - psychology; Students - psychology; Students - statistics & numerical data; Tobacco; Tobacco use; Universities; Virginia - epidemiology; Young Adult; Young adults; Tobacco use; ADHD; ADD; College students; Mental health; Smoking
• ISSN: 0306-4603; 1873-6327
• DOI: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2017.09.012

Individuals with mental health conditions represent a priority population for tobacco control. This population smokes cigarettes at disproportionately higher rates than the general population, but less is known about the relationship between non-cigarette tobacco use and mental health status.
In 2013, 2370 young adults recruited from 11 colleges in North Carolina and Virginia completed an online survey on tobacco use. We compared past 6-month self-reported mental health diagnosis, past 30-day depression score, and past 7-day stress score to past 30-day cigarette, e-cigarette, waterpipe, cigar, and smokeless tobacco use. Models adjusted for age, gender, race, ethnicity, and mother's education. Non-cigarette products were also adjusted for past 30-day cigarette use.
Among participants, 249 (10.5%) reported a mental health diagnosis, most commonly depression (5.5%), ADHD/ADD (4.5%), and anxiety (0.8%). Those who reported a mental health diagnosis had greater odds of using cigarettes (AOR=1.55; CI=1.01, 2.27). Mean stress score was 16.0 (SD=6.9) of possible 40. Higher stress scale score was associated with increased odds of e-cigarette (AOR=1.03; CI=1.01, 1.05), waterpipe (AOR=1.04; CI=1.01, 1.06), and cigarette (AOR=1.02; CI=1.00, 1.04) use. Mean depression score was 7.2 (SD=5.6) of possible 33. Higher depression scale score was associated with increased odds for e-cigarette (AOR=1.04; CI=1.01, 1.08) and cigarette (AOR=1.03; CI=1.01, 1.06) use.
Findings in this study provide further evidence of a potential relationship between non-cigarette tobacco products and mental health status. Tobacco control efforts aimed at reducing tobacco use disparities among mental health populations should focus on non-cigarette tobacco products in addition to cigarettes.
•Cigarette use related to mental health diagnosis, depression score, and stress score•E-cigarette use related to depression score and stress score•Waterpipe use related to stress score among college students