Smoking tobacco is associated with psychotic experiences: Findings from the Collaborative Psychiatric Epidemiological Surveys
Poster A45, Thursday, October 20, 11:30 am - 1:00 pm, Le Baron
Hans Oh1; 1University of California, Berkeley
Smoking tobacco has been associated with psychosis, though extant research has yet to fully examine the extent to which this association extends into the sub-threshold range of the psychosis continuum in the US, and whether this association persists after accounting for co-occurring disorders. Using multivariable logistic regresion, we analyzed four large racially diverse samples of the US population. In the predominantly White sample, we did not find strong evidence of an association between smoking status and psychotic experiences. Among Latinos, current smokers had almost 70% greater odds of reporting a lifetime psychotic experience, and former smokers had 64% greater odds, when compared with never smokers after adjusting for socio-demographic covariates. This relationship diminished slightly and did not maintain a conventional level of statistical significance after the inclusion of substance use disorder, anxiety disorders, and mood disorders. Among Asians, current smokers were 2.69 times more likely to report lifetime psychotic experience, and former smokers were 2.62 times more likely, when compared with never smokers, after adjusting for socio-demographics. These effects remained strong and statistically significant after controlling for co-occurring disorders. Among Blacks, current smokers had approximately 39% greater odds of reporting a lifetime psychotic experience, and former smokers had about 50% greater odds, when compared with never smokers after adjusting for socio-demographics. However, these effects did not remain at a conventional level of statistical significance after adjusting for co-occurring disorders. If smoking tobacco plays a causal role in sub-threshold psychosis, cessation programs may have utility for prevention efforts.
Topic Area: Epidemiology