Summary
Summary: The prevalence of smoking is documented in the general population; however, few studies have explored the prevalence of smoking among U.S. veterans. Smoking is a risk factor for many chronic diseases, increasing the risk of heart disease, cancer, and other illnesses. Three out of 10 U.S. veterans use tobacco, a much higher rate than non-veterans across all age groups. This study describes the significant health burden of cigarette smoking among U.S. veterans.
This study used secondary data from the 2017 California Health Interview Survey (CHIS) to estimate the prevalence of smoking among veterans and non-veterans.
Findings: A significant relationship between smokers who consumed 100 or more cigarettes in their lifetime and veteran status was found, meaning a greater proportion of smokers were veterans.
Although the prevalence of smoking among California residents has declined in recent years, public health professionals have opportunities to further intervene using evidence-based practices to assist the veteran population with smoking cessation. This study proposed four evidence-based clinical practice models, cognitive behavioral therapy, cognitive processing, mindfulness-based stress reduction, and biofeedback, to treat nicotine dependence in conjunction with the traditional 3A cessation model — ask, advise, and refer. It is also recommended that veterans seek individual or group therapy services that utilize cognitive behavioral therapy to promote smoking cessation.
Clinicians have a responsibility to address smoking with veterans, assist them in quitting, and provide them with referrals to smoking cessation programs that work best for this population.
Read the Publication:
- Journal Article: The Prevalence Rate of Smoking Among Veterans: A Forgotten Epidemic