Substance Use and Misuse among Adults with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease in the United States, 2015-2019: Prevalence, Association, and Moderation

Abdullah M M Alanazi; Mohammed M Alqahtani; Maher M Alquaimi; Tareq F Alotaibi; Saleh S Algarni; Taha T Ismaeil; Ahmad A Alanazi; Moudi M Alasmari; Eyas A Alhuthail; Ali M Alasmari; Linda Gibson-Young; Wasantha P Jayawardene

doi:10.3390/ijerph19010408

Substance Use and Misuse among Adults with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease in the United States, 2015-2019: Prevalence, Association, and Moderation

Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021 Dec 31;19(1):408. doi: 10.3390/ijerph19010408.

Authors

Abdullah M M Alanazi^{1

2}, Mohammed M Alqahtani^{1

2}, Maher M Alquaimi³, Tareq F Alotaibi^{1

2}, Saleh S Algarni^{1

2}, Taha T Ismaeil^{1

2}, Ahmad A Alanazi^{2

4}, Moudi M Alasmari^{5

6}, Eyas A Alhuthail^{7

8}, Ali M Alasmari^{9

10}, Linda Gibson-Young¹¹, Wasantha P Jayawardene¹²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Respiratory Therapy, College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh 11481, Saudi Arabia.
² King Abdullah International Medical Research Center, Riyadh 11481, Saudi Arabia.
³ Department of Respiratory Care, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam 34212, Saudi Arabia.
⁴ Respiratory Services, Ministry of the National Guard-Health Affairs, Riyadh 11481, Saudi Arabia.
⁵ College of Medicine, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Jeddah 22384, Saudi Arabia.
⁶ King Abdullah International Medical Research Center, Jeddah 22384, Saudi Arabia.
⁷ Basic Sciences Department, College of Sciences and Health Professions, King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh 11481, Saudi Arabia.
⁸ Department of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Clinical Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK.
⁹ National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London SW7 2BX, UK.
¹⁰ College of Medical Rehabilitation Sciences, Taibah University, Medina 42353, Saudi Arabia.
¹¹ School of Nursing, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA.
¹² Institute for Research on Addictive Behavior, School of Public Health-Bloomington, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA.

Abstract

Background: Despite the advancements in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) treatment, complications related to COPD exacerbation remain challenging. One associated factor is substance use/misuse among adults with COPD. Fewer studies, however, examined the prevalence and association between COPD and substance use and misuse. In addition, limited knowledge existed about the moderation effects of serious psychological distress and gender among adults with COPD and substance use/misuse. We aimed, therefore, to measure such prevalence, association, and moderation from nationally representative samples in the United States.

Method: Data were drawn from the 2015-2019 National Survey on Drug Use and Health. Weighted logistic regressions were used to measure the associations of last-month tobacco (cigarettes, cigars, pipe, and smokeless tobacco products), other licit and illicit substance use (alcohol, marijuana, cocaine, crack, heroin, hallucinogens, and inhalants), and substance misuse (pain relievers, tranquilizers, stimulants, and sedatives) among adults with COPD. Serious psychological distress and gender were tested as moderators in the association between COPD and substance use/misuse.

Results: The findings revealed that adults with COPD [_Weighted N = 53,115,718) revealed greater odds of cigarettes [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 2.48 (95%CI = 1.80-3.42)) and smokeless tobacco (aOR = 3.65 (95%CI = 1.75-7.65)). However, they were less likely to use alcohol (aOR = 0.61 (95%CI = 0.45-0.84)). Adults with COPD who had serious psychological distress were more likely to use pipe tobacco and alcohol; however, they were less likely to use hallucinogens and inhalants. Finally, males compared to females with COPD were less likely to use smokeless tobacco.

Conclusion: Adults with COPD in the United States were more likely to use tobacco products and less likely to use alcohol. In addition, serious psychological distress and gender were moderators in associations between COPD and substance use but not in substance misuse. Future studies should longitudinally assess the factors that may contribute to the initiation and progression of substance use and misuse among adults with COPD.

Keywords: COPD; gender; marijuana; serious psychological distress; substance use/misuse; tobacco products.

MeSH terms

Adult
Female
Humans
Male
Prevalence
Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive* / epidemiology
Substance-Related Disorders* / epidemiology
Tobacco Use / epidemiology
Tobacco, Smokeless*
United States / epidemiology