Reducing tobacco use in substance use treatment: An intervention to promote tobacco-free grounds

Distinct patterns of cigarette smoking intensity and other substance use among women who experience housing instability

BACKGROUND

Recent insights into substance use cessation suggest that outcomes short of long-term abstinence are clinically meaningful and may offer more realistic incremental goals, particularly for highly vulnerable individuals. With the goal of informing tobacco treatment programs, we examined distinct patterns of cigarette smoking and their association with the ongoing use of other substances in women who experience housing instability.

METHODS

We recruited participants from a longitudinal study of women experiencing housing instability. Between June 2017 and January 2019, participants completed six monthly survey interviews regarding social conditions and the use of multiple substances. We examined associations between cigarette smoking intensity, including number of cigarettes smoked per day, heavy smoking, and an increase in number of cigarettes smoked from the previous 30-days, and other substance use in the past 7-days.

RESULTS

Of the 243 participants, 69 % were current smokers and 58 % were daily smokers. Number of cigarettes smoked per day (Adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 1.02, 95 % CI 1.00-1.03), heavy cigarette smoking, compared to none or light smoking (AOR 2.02, 95 % CI 1.46-2.79), and an increase in number of cigarettes smoked from the previous 30-days (AOR 1.06, 95 % CI 1.01-1.12) were all significantly associated with methamphetamine use in the past 7-days. Associations with other substance use were not as strong.

CONCLUSIONS

In a sample of unstably housed women, where almost half used multiple substances, methamphetamine use was associated with higher cigarette smoking intensity. Our findings highlight a potential role for integrating tobacco and methamphetamine use treatment to reduce tobacco use among unstably housed women.

Initial leadership concerns and availability of tobacco cessation services moderate changes in employee-reported concerns about tobacco-free workplace policy implementation over time

Tobacco-free workplace policies (TFWPs) are underused evidence-based interventions that reduce the elevated use of tobacco among substance use treatment center (SUTC) employees and patients. SUTC employees' anticipated concerns about stakeholder pushback are barriers to TFWP adoption. Examination of discrepancies between anticipated and actualized employee-reported TFWP concerns arising from coworkers, patients, and community members in the context of leadership concerns and tobacco cessation care availability for employees may inform strategies to increase TFWP uptake. This study analyzed changes in employee-reported TFWP concerns from before to after a comprehensive tobacco-free workplace intervention that included TFWP implementation, using Chi-square/Fisher's exact tests. Preimplementation leadership policy concerns and tobacco cessation care availability were examined as moderators in generalized linear mixed models. Overall, 452 employees and 13 leaders provided data from 13 SUTCs collectively serving >82 000 patients annually. Results revealed significant decreases over time in employee-reported concerns about TFWP resistance from coworkers. Moderation analyses indicated that employee-anticipated concerns from coworkers and patients, respectively, were less likely to be actualized in SUTCs where leadership endorsed preimplementation TFWP concerns, whereas employee-reported patient concerns rose over time in SUTCs where leadership had no initial implementation concerns. Additionally, employee-anticipated concerns from coworkers were overestimated in SUTCs that did not offer tobacco cessation care to employees. Results supporting the nonactualization of anticipated employee concerns following TFWP implementation can be used to engage other SUTCs for TFWP adoption. Furthermore, moderation effects may suggest that center characteristics translate to greater attention to rollout, ultimately enhancing TFWP stakeholder acceptance.

Policy and Practice Changes Associated with a Tobacco-Free Initiative in Residential Substance Use Disorder Treatment

A California-sponsored, 18-month, tobacco-free intervention in residential substance use disorder (SUD) programs was associated with increases in tobacco-free grounds and tobacco-related client services. The current study examined whether positive results would be replicated in 11 programs participating subsequently. Program directors (N = 11) completed surveys of tobacco-related policies pre- and post-intervention. Pre- (n = 163) and post-intervention (n = 128) cross-sectional staff surveys examined tobacco-related training, beliefs, practices, smoking policy, and smoking status. Directors reported increases in tobacco-free grounds (from 3 to 8 programs), tobacco-related staff training (1 to 10 programs), tobacco cessation staff services (1 to 9 programs) and nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) provision (6 to 10 programs). At post-intervention, staff were more likely to report smoke-free workplaces (p = 0.008), positive beliefs about treating tobacco use (p = 0.017) and less likely to report current smoking (p = 0.003). Clinical staff were more likely to report tobacco-related training receipt (p = 0.001), program-level NRT provision (p = 0.009) and conducting tobacco-related client services (p < 0.0001) post-intervention. Findings of increases in tobacco-free grounds and tobacco cessation client services corroborated prior results. These and the additional finding of decreases in staff smoking strengthen evidence that initiatives supporting tobacco-free policies can be successfully implemented in SUD treatment.

A cluster-randomized trial of a brief multi-component intervention to improve tobacco outcomes in substance use treatment

BACKGROUND

Smoking prevalence is high among people in substance use disorder (SUD) treatment, and program interventions to address smoking are often complex and lengthy. This cluster-randomized trial tested whether a brief multi-component intervention impacted tobacco outcomes among staff and clients.

METHODS

Seven SUD treatment programs were randomly assigned to the multi-component intervention or to waitlist control. The 6-month intervention included a leadership motivation assessment, program incentives, 4 staff training sessions and a leadership learning community session. Survey data were collected from staff and clients at pre- and post-intervention. Outcomes were first compared across condition (intervention vs waitlist control), and then examined pre- to post-intervention with condition collapsed.

RESULTS

Staff in the intervention (n = 48) and control conditions (n = 26) did not differ at post-intervention on smoking prevalence, self-efficacy to help clients quit, or practices used to help clients quit smoking. Intervention clients (n = 113) did not differ from controls (n = 61) in smoking prevalence or receipt of tobacco services. Pre-post comparisons collapsed across condition showed a decrease in client and staff smoking prevalence, which could not be attributed to the intervention, and a decrease in client receipt of cessation medication.

CONCLUSION

The brief multi-component intervention did not support changes in smoking prevalence or in tobacco-related services received by clients. Other intervention features are needed to reduce smoking among SUD clients.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Randomization occurred at the program level and outcomes measured are program-level measures. Accordingly, the trial is not registered.

Addressing nutrition and physical activity in substance use disorder treatment: Client reports from a wellness-oriented, tobacco-free policy intervention

Introduction

Interest in wellness interventions in substance use disorder (SUD) treatment is growing although evidence remains limited. This study evaluated nutrition, physical activity, nutrition and physical activity counseling, and relationships of counseling with wellness behavior before and after a wellness-oriented, tobacco-free policy intervention in 17 residential SUD programs.

Methods

Clients completed cross-sectional surveys reporting sugar-sweetened beverage consumption, physical activity, and receipt of nutrition and physical activity counseling before (n= 434) and after (n = 422) an 18-month intervention. Multivariable regression models assessed pre-post-intervention differences in these variables and examined associations of nutrition counseling with sugar-sweetened beverage consumption and physical activity counseling with physical activity.

Results

Post-intervention clients were 83% more likely than pre-intervention clients to report nutrition counseling (p = 0.024). There were no pre-post- differences for other variables. Past week sugar-sweetened beverage consumption was 22% lower among clients reporting nutrition counseling than for those who did not (p = 0.008) and this association did not vary by time (pre/post). There was a significant interaction of physical activity counseling receipt by time on past week physical activity (p = 0.008). Pre-intervention clients reporting physical activity counseling had 22% higher physical activity than those who did not; post-intervention clients reporting physical activity counseling had 47% higher physical activity.

Conclusion

A wellness policy intervention was associated with increased nutrition counseling. Nutrition counseling predicted lower sugar-sweetened beverage consumption. Physical activity counseling predicted higher physical activity, an association that was greater post-intervention. Adding wellness components to tobacco-related interventions may promote health among SUD clients.

Comparing client and staff reports on tobacco-related knowledge, attitudes, beliefs and services provided in substance use treatment

INTRODUCTION

Smoking is highly prevalent in substance use disorder (SUD) programs, but few studies have explored the tobacco-related attitudes of staff and clients in the same program. The aim of this study was to compare staff and client reports on 10 tobacco-related items and associate them with tobacco measures implemented in the programs.

METHODS

A cross-sectional survey was conducted in 18 residential SUD programs from 2019 to 2020. Overall, 534 clients and 183 clinical staff self-reported their tobacco use, knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, and practices/services regarding smoking cessation. Ten comparable items were asked of both clients and staff. Differences in their responses were tested using bivariate analyses. We examine the association between selected tobacco-related items on making a quit attempt and planning to quit in the next 30 days.

RESULTS

In all, 63.7% of clients were current cigarette users versus 22.9% of staff. About half of clinicians (49.4%) said they had the skills to help patients quit smoking, while only 34.0% of clients thought their clinicians had these skills (p=0.003). About 28.4% of staff reported encouraging their patients to use nicotine replacement treatment (NRT), and 23.4% of patients said they had been encouraged to use these products. Client reports of planning a quit attempt were positively correlated with whether both staff and clients reported that the use of NRT was encouraged (clients: r=0.645 p=0.004; staff: r=0.524 p=0.025).

CONCLUSIONS

A low level of tobacco-related services was provided by staff and received by clients. In programs where smokers were encouraged to use NRT, a higher percentage of smokers planned a quit attempt. Tobacco-related training among staff, and communication about tobacco use with clients, should be improved to make tobacco services more visible and accessible in SUD treatment.

Nicotine Addiction: A Burning Issue in Addiction Psychiatry

Addressing nicotine addiction has been given a low priority, compared with other substance use disorders (SUDs), by the addiction treatment field. Persons with nicotine addiction are reluctant to attempt to stop using nicotine products-despite recognizing it to be a problem-because they are feeling discouraged by multiple past unsuccessful attempts at quitting. By understanding that discouragement is a frequent reason that these people are in Precontemplation and by using traditional clinical interventions applied to other SUDs, clinicians could achieve better overall treatment outcomes.

Pre-implementation Assessment of Tobacco Cessation Interventions in Substance Use Disorder Residential Programs in California

BACKGROUND

Across the United States, substance use disorder (SUD) treatment programs vary in terms of tobacco-related policies and cessation services offered. Implementation of tobacco-related policies within this setting can face several barriers. Little is known about how program leadership anticipate such barriers at the pre-implementation phase. This study used the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) during the pre-implementation stage to identify factors that may influence the implementation stage of tobacco-related cessation policies and services in residential SUD programs.

METHODS

We conducted semi-structured qualitative interviews with sixteen residential treatment program directors in California. The analysis was guided by a deductive approach using CFIR domains and constructs to develop codes and identify themes. ATLAS.ti software was used to facilitate thematic analysis of interview transcripts.

FINDINGS

Themes that arose as anticipated facilitators for implementation included the relative advantage of the intervention vs. current practice, external policies/incentives to support tobacco-related policy, program directors' strong commitment and high self-efficacy to incorporate cessation into SUD treatment, and recognizing the importance of planning and engaging opinion leaders. Potential barriers included the SUD recovery culture, low stakeholder engagement, organizational culture, lack of workforce expertise, and lack of reimbursement for smoking cessation services.

CONCLUSION

To support successful implementation of tobacco-related organizational change interventions, staff and clients of residential SUD programs require extensive education about the effectiveness of evidence-based medications and behavioral therapies for treating tobacco dependence. Publicly funded SUD treatment programs should receive support to address tobacco dependence among their clients through expanded reimbursement for tobacco cessation services.