The relation between smoking status and medical conditions among incarcerated adults
Document Type
Article
Date of Original Version
1-1-2014
Abstract
The rate of smoking among incarcerated adults is more than 3 times that of the general population. Negative health consequences of smoking have prompted many correctional facilities to become tobacco-free. This presents a unique opportunity to examine health conditions associated with motivation to remain tobacco-free after release from prison. We examined this association among individuals who participated in the WISE randomized clinical trial. Methods: A total of 247 participants completed a baseline questionnaire asking about illnesses (both smoking-related and non-smokingrelated), family history of smoking-related illnesses, demographics, and smoking history. Smoking status was assessed 3 weeks postrelease. Results: Approximately 38% of participants reported having an illness caused by or worsened by smoking and 53.0% reported having "moderate" to "a lot" of concern about their health due to smoking; 22.9% reported having asthma and 26.8% reported hypertension. The adjusted odds of remaining tobacco-free at 3 weeks postrelease from a tobacco-free prison was significant only for individuals with a family history of smoking-related illnesses (odds ratio [OR] = 0.28; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.12-0.68). For individuals with smoking-related conditions, the adjusted odds of remaining tobaccofree was nonsignificant (OR = 1.91; 95% CI, 0.85-4.27). Similarly, the adjusted odds of remaining tobacco-free for participants with non-smoking-related medical conditions was nonsignificant (OR = 0.27; 95% CI, 0.06-1.22). Conclusions: These results offer a first look at understanding health conditions as a motivator to remain tobacco-free after release from prison. Although these findings require additional investigation, these results suggest that providing treatment to prisoners with chronic disease and specifically targeting smoking-related illnesses might be beneficial with regard to smoking cessation success. © 2014 American Society of Addiction Medicine.
Publication Title, e.g., Journal
Journal of Addiction Medicine
Volume
8
Issue
2
Citation/Publisher Attribution
Parker, Donna R., Diandra Fallone, Rosemarie A. Martin, L. A. Stein, Beth Bock, Stephen A. Martin, Mary B. Roberts, Cheryl E. Lopes, and Jennifer J. Clarke. "The relation between smoking status and medical conditions among incarcerated adults." Journal of Addiction Medicine 8, 2 (2014): 90-95. doi: 10.1097/ADM.0b013e3182a96466.