Related Experiment Videos
Nicotine dependence and depression among methadone maintenance patients
T J Meyer1, M M Lin, L S Brown
1Department of Psychiatry, New Jersey Medical School, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, Newark, USA.
Journal of the National Medical Association
|December 1, 1996
Summary
Substance abuse patients with depression show higher odds of nicotine dependence. Integrating depression treatment into smoking cessation programs may improve success rates for these individuals.
Area of Science:
- Addiction Medicine
- Psychiatry
- Public Health
Background:
- Growing interest in smoking cessation for substance abuse patients.
- Depression is known to complicate cessation efforts in general populations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between depression and nicotine dependence in methadone patients.
- To inform smoking cessation treatment strategies for this demographic.
Main Methods:
- Study included 726 patients undergoing methadone treatment.
- Assessed nicotine dependence using four different depression measures.
Main Results:
- Three out of four depression measures indicated elevated odds of nicotine dependence.
- A significant association was observed between depression and nicotine dependence.
Conclusions:
- Depression is linked to higher nicotine dependence in methadone patients.
- Further research is needed to explore combined depression and smoking cessation interventions.