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Published on: January 8, 2020
Prevalence of substance misuse among US veterans in the general population
Katherine J Hoggatt1,2, Keren Lehavot3,4,5,6, Marketa Krenek4
1VA Greater Los Angeles Health Services Research and Development (HSR&D) Center for the Study of Healthcare Innovation, Implementation & Policy, Los Angeles, California.
Background And Objectives:
Epidemiologic data on substance misuse prevalence among US Veterans are crucial to plan for Veterans' future healthcare needs. We estimated US Veterans' age-specific, overall, and age-adjusted prevalence of substance misuse, assessed whether prevalence differed between Veterans and civilians, and examined temporal trends in prevalence.
Methods:
Substance-related measures were obtained from the National Surveys on Drug Use and Health, 2002-2012 (N = 24,210 Veterans; 338,556 civilians).
Results:
Among women and men Veterans overall, past-month heavy episodic drinking and daily cigarette smoking were the most prevalent types of substance misuse. For Veteran women and men ages 18-25, the prevalence of past-year illicit drug use was 29% and 38%, which was comparable to the prevalence of past-month daily cigarette smoking, and the prevalence of past-year prescription drug misuse was 14% and 18%. For men ages 18-25, heavy episodic drinking, daily cigarette smoking, alcohol use disorder (AUD), and substance use disorder were more prevalent among Veterans than civilians. For women, the age-specific, overall, and age-adjusted prevalence of daily cigarette smoking was generally greater among Veterans than civilians. There was a decreasing temporal trend in overall AUD prevalence among Veteran men, reflecting a decreasing trend in age-specific prevalence among Veteran men ages 35-49.
Discussion And Conclusions:
Young Veterans' high prevalence of substance misuse, and the generally high prevalence of daily smoking among Veterans, underscore the need for evidence-based assessments and treatment options that are accessible and effective for Veterans.
Scientific Significance:
This study provides foundational information on the epidemiology of substance misuse among Veterans. (Am J Addict 2017;26:357-365).
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