Smokers with behavioral health comorbidity should be designated a tobacco use disparity group

J.M. Williams, M.L. Steinberg, K.G. Griffiths and N. Cooperman

American Journal of Public Health, 2013, vol. 103, issue 9, 1549-1555

Abstract: Smokers with co-occurring mental illness or substance use disorders are not designated a disparity group or priority population by most national public health and tobacco control groups. These smokers fulfill the criteria commonly used to identify groups that merit special attention: targeted marketing by the tobacco industry, high smoking prevalence rates, heavy economic and health burdens from tobacco, limited access to treatment, and longer durations of smoking with less cessation. A national effort to increase surveillance, research, and treatment is needed. Designating smokers with behavioral health comorbidity a priority group will bring much-needed attention and resources. The disparity in smoking rates among persons with behavioral health issues relative to the general population will worsen over time if their needs remain unaddressed.

Keywords: article; comorbidity; economics; female; health care cost; health care disparity; health care planning; health disparity; human; male; mental disease; prevalence; smoking; smoking cessation; United States, Comorbidity; Female; Health Care Costs; Health Priorities; Health Status Disparities; Healthcare Disparities; Humans; Male; Mental Disorders; Prevalence; Smoking; Smoking Cessation; United States (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2013
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (9)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:aph:ajpbhl:10.2105/ajph.2013.301232_8

DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2013.301232

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