Author(s): Mei Lin C. Valenciaa, Baronese Petersa, Narcie Faith Pilon Amistaa, Binh Thang Tran
Objective: This study assessed the association between the early onset of smoking and the use of other addictive substances with nicotine dependence, the extent of substance abuse, and the probability of relapse, in drug treatment and rehabilitation centers. Methods: Self-reported data were collected from July to September 2019 from 632 inpatients at five drug treatment facilities in the Philippines: two in the National Capital Region, one in Western Visayas, one in Central Visayas, and one in the Mindanao Region. Results: The Addiction Severity Index (5th edition) and the Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence were used to assess the inpatients’ drug and alcohol use and nicotine dependence severity, respectively. The participants were composed of approximately 45.57% non-nicotine-dependent former smokers and 54.43% nicotine-dependent current smokers. The overall prevalence rates of smoking onset (starting at age ≤ 10 years) of the respondents yielded an odds ratio (AOR) of 26.5 and 95% confidence interval (CI) of 10.8–64.9 in a period of 30 consecutive days, and an AOR of 28.9 and 95% CI of 11.5–72.9 within one’s lifetime, indicating significant (p < .05) low to moderate nicotine dependence. Conclusion: This study suggests that to combat relapse there is a need for incorporating the implementation of nicotine cessation programs into addiction treatments as well as bans on any type of smoking activities by patients, both within and outside therapeutic drug treatment and rehabilitation centers in the Philippines.
