Healthcare Visits by Smokers: Does Cessation Treatment Differ Based on Clinical Condition?

This article examines differences in tobacco cessation treatment offered during healthcare visits to adult smokers with behavioral health conditions, specifically alcohol and/or substance use disorder (ASUD), depression, and physical conditions, using data from the 2015–2018 National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NAMCS). Findings indicate that visits by patients with ASUD have significantly higher odds of receiving tobacco cessation counseling and any combination of counseling and/or medication compared to visits by patients with depression, while visits by patients with depression have higher odds of receiving cessation medications than those with ASUD. Despite these differences, overall rates of tobacco cessation treatment remain low across all groups, with counseling offered in 18.4% and medications in 5.5% of visits. The study highlights the need for enhanced provider education and collaborative care models to improve tobacco cessation treatment delivery for patients with behavioral health conditions.