Katherine J Hoggatt1, Alexander H S Harris2, Donna L Washington3, Emily C Williams4. 1. San Francisco VA Health Care System, 4150 Clement St., San Francisco, CA 94121, USA; University of California, Department of Medicine, 505 Parnassus Ave, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA. Electronic address: katherine.hoggatt@va.gov. 2. Center for Innovation to Implementation (Ci2i), VA Palo Alto Health Care System, 795 Willow Road, Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA; Department of Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA, USA. Electronic address: Alexander.Harris2@va.gov. 3. VA HSR&D Center for the Study of Healthcare Innovation, Implementation, & Policy, VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, 11301 Wilshire Blvd., 111G, Los Angeles, CA 90073, USA; Division of General Internal Medicine and Health Services Research, Department of Medicine, UCLA Geffen School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA, USA. Electronic address: Donna.Washington@va.gov. 4. Center of Innovation for Veteran Centered and Value-Driven Care, VA Puget Sound, 1660 S Columbian Way, S-152 Seattle, WA 98108, USA; Department of Health Services, University of Washington School of Public Health, Seattle, WA, USA. Electronic address: Emily.Williams3@va.gov.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Substance use and related disorders are common among US Veterans, but the population burden of has never been directly assessed among Veterans Health Administration (VA) patients. We surveyed VA patients to measure substance use and related disorders in the largest US integrated healthcare system. METHODS: We surveyed N = 6000 outpatients from 30 geographically-representative VA healthcare systems. We assessed substance use (lifetime, past 12-month, daily in past 3 months) and past 12-month disorders following DSM-5 criteria and estimated the association with Veteran characteristics (age, gender, race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status, VA utilization). RESULTS: Alcohol was the most commonly-reported substance (24% used past 12 months, 11% daily in past 3 months, 10% met criteria for alcohol use disorder), followed by cannabis (42% lifetime use, 12% use in past 12 months, 5% daily use in past 3 months, 3% met criteria for cannabis use disorder). Overall, 5% met criteria for non-alcohol drug use disorder (13% for substance use disorder (SUD)). SUD prevalence was highest for young Veterans and those who were unemployed or otherwise not employed for wages. Past 12-month cannabis use was common, even among older adults (65-74 years: 10%; 75 and older: 2%). CONCLUSIONS: Prevalence data are important inputs into decisions around population health monitoring, treatment capacity, and quality measurement strategies. Substance use and SUD are more prevalent than previously reported, and VA may need to screen for non-alcohol drugs to identify patients who need care. More tailored assessment may be needed for cannabis use, high-prevalence subgroups, and older adults. Published by Elsevier B.V.
BACKGROUND: Substance use and related disorders are common among US Veterans, but the population burden of has never been directly assessed among Veterans Health Administration (VA) patients. We surveyed VA patients to measure substance use and related disorders in the largest US integrated healthcare system. METHODS: We surveyed N = 6000 outpatients from 30 geographically-representative VA healthcare systems. We assessed substance use (lifetime, past 12-month, daily in past 3 months) and past 12-month disorders following DSM-5 criteria and estimated the association with Veteran characteristics (age, gender, race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status, VA utilization). RESULTS:Alcohol was the most commonly-reported substance (24% used past 12 months, 11% daily in past 3 months, 10% met criteria for alcohol use disorder), followed by cannabis (42% lifetime use, 12% use in past 12 months, 5% daily use in past 3 months, 3% met criteria for cannabis use disorder). Overall, 5% met criteria for non-alcoholdrug use disorder (13% for substance use disorder (SUD)). SUD prevalence was highest for young Veterans and those who were unemployed or otherwise not employed for wages. Past 12-month cannabis use was common, even among older adults (65-74 years: 10%; 75 and older: 2%). CONCLUSIONS: Prevalence data are important inputs into decisions around population health monitoring, treatment capacity, and quality measurement strategies. Substance use and SUD are more prevalent than previously reported, and VA may need to screen for non-alcohol drugs to identify patients who need care. More tailored assessment may be needed for cannabis use, high-prevalence subgroups, and older adults. Published by Elsevier B.V.
Authors: Madeline C Frost; Theresa E Matson; Julie E Richards; Amy K Lee; Carol E Achtmeyer; Katharine A Bradley; Emily C Williams Journal: Subst Abus Date: 2022 Impact factor: 3.984
Authors: Emily C Williams; Olivia V Fletcher; Madeline C Frost; Alex H S Harris; Donna L Washington; Katherine J Hoggatt Journal: JAMA Netw Open Date: 2022-06-01
Authors: Karleen F Giannitrapani; Jesse R Holliday; Andrew W Dawson; Alexis K Huynh; Alison B Hamilton; Christine Timko; Katherine J Hoggatt Journal: BMC Health Serv Res Date: 2022-03-04 Impact factor: 2.655
Authors: Ahmed Brgdar; John Gharbin; Ayman Elawad; Jin Yi; Jacob Sanchez; Adey Bishaw; Mohamed E Taha; Edmund Essah Ameyaw; Norman Allen; Mehrotra Prafulla Journal: Cureus Date: 2022-03-01