Smoking, Sociodemographic Characteristics, and Health History among Adults with Mental Illness in Puerto Rico

Abstract

Objective: In Puerto Rico, two in ten adults aged 18 to 64 (18.7%) are diagnosed with a mental illness (MI), such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and major depressive disorder. People with MI diagnosis report higher frequencies of chronic diseases (e.g., diabetes, cancer, heart diseases) and cigarette smoking than the general population. This study explores associations between smoking, sociodemographic characteristics and health history (i.e. chronic diseases and MI diagnosis) among adults with a MI diagnosis in Puerto Rico. Methods: This cross-sectional study includes data from 285 Puerto Rican adults (> 21 years) with a MI diagnosis receiving psychiatric or psychological treatment in a community healthcare facility between May 2017 to May 2020. Chi-square tests evaluated the associations between smoking and sociodemographic characteristics, chronic diseases and MI diagnosis. Multiple logistic regression explained the relationship between smoking, sociodemographic characteristics, and MI diagnosis. Results: A total of 25.3% (n=72) of participants reported current smoking. Significant associations were found between smoking with sociodemographic characteristics and MI diagnosis among Puerto Ricans diagnosed with MI. The logistic regression model explained 18.9% of the variance in smoking and classified 76.1% of cases. Conclusion: Results confirm high prevalence rates of current smoking and the potential impact on health among Puerto Ricans with MI diagnosis. Tailored treatments for smoking cessation for Puerto Ricans living with MI are needed.