Level and timing of product substitution in a trial of e-cigarettes for smokers not interested in quitting.

INTRODUCTION: The e-cigarette market is large and diverse. Traditional smoking cessation trials involving a control group and a 6-month observation period are an inefficient methodology for testing the multiple treatment options e-cigarettes provide for harm reduction in cigarette smokers. We determined when product substitution occurred in the e-cigarette provision arm of an e-cigarette substitution trial for cigarette smokers who were not interested in quitting. METHODS: We conducted a secondary analysis of 120 cigarette smokers with severe mental illness (recruitment 2017-2020) who were given disposable e-cigarettes for 8 weeks and assessed at weeks 0 (t0), 2, 4, 6, and 8. We explored product substitution through visit-to-visit correlations in change in product use, then developed a dual process growth model for cigarette and e-cigarette use to test the association between increases in e-cigarette use and concurrent decreases in cigarettes smoked. RESULTS: Mean age of the participants was 45.9 years, and 42.7% smoked ≥20 cigarettes per day. Almost all product substitution occurred between t0 and t2. For the average smoker (18 cigarettes per day), t2 cigarette frequency decreased by 0.39 (95% CI: -0.56 - -0.22) cigarettes for each additional e-cigarette session. There was effect modification (p=0.033), such that baseline light smokers (<10 cigarettes/day) had no significant decrease in t2 cigarette frequency, regardless of their initial increase in e-cigarette use, while heavy smokers (38 cigarettes/day) switched products nearly on a one-to-one basis. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, most product substitution occurred early, and heavier smokers had larger t2 decreases in cigarettes/day with increased e-cigarette use. If confirmed with replication studies, the findings could suggest establishment of a novel outcome for e-cigarette studies - early product substitution - and support the value of short-term comparative effectiveness trials that compare multiple potentially lower harm tobacco products. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: The study was registered on the official website of ClinicalTrials.gov. IDENTIFIER: ID NCT03050853.

Tobacco, Alcohol, and Drug Use Among Young Adults with Serious Mental Illness.

To inform early intervention, this study describes correlates of substance use among young people with serious mental illness (SMI) enrolled in integrated care in community mental health settings. 227 adults ages 18-35 were assessed for clinical characteristics and substance use. Logistic regressions were used to describe relationships between substance use and participant characteristics. Over a third (38.9%) reported daily cannabis, 15.9% past month other illicit drug, 13.5% frequent/heavy alcohol and 47.4% any of these; 50.2% reported daily tobacco smoking and 23.3% current vaping. Daily cannabis and tobacco were the most common combination. Alcohol, drug, and cannabis with tobacco were associated with higher mental health symptoms but not with emergency room or hospital utilization. Cannabis and other substance use was common and associated with higher symptoms but not with greater hospital utilization, suggesting that early intervention could prevent long-term negative consequences.

Lived Experience-Led Research Agenda to Address Early Death in People With a Diagnosis of a Serious Mental Illness: A Consensus Statement.

Importance: People with serious mental illness (SMI), defined as a diagnosis of schizophrenia spectrum disorder, bipolar disorder, or disabling major depressive disorder) die approximately 10 to 25 years earlier than the general population. Objective: To develop the first-ever lived experience-led research agenda to address early mortality in people with SMI. Evidence Review: A virtual 2-day roundtable comprising 40 individuals convened on May 24 and May 26, 2022, and used a virtual Delphi method to arrive at expert group consensus. Participants responded to 6 rounds of virtual Delphi discussion via email that prioritized research topics and agreement on recommendations. The roundtable was composed of individuals with lived experience of mental health and/or substance misuse, peer support specialists, recovery coaches, parents and caregivers of people with SMI, researchers and clinician-scientists with and without lived experience, policy makers, and patient-led organizations. Twenty-two of 28 (78.6%) of the authors who provided data represented people with lived experiences. Roundtable members were selected by reviewing the peer-reviewed and gray literature on early mortality and SMI, direct email, and snowball sampling. Findings: The following recommendations are presented in order of priority as identified by the roundtable participants: (1) improve the empirical understanding of the direct and indirect social and biological contributions of trauma on morbidity and early mortality; (2) advance the role of family, extended families, and informal supporters; (3) recognize the importance of co-occurring disorders and early mortality; (4) redefine clinical education to reduce stigma and support clinicians through technological advancements to improve diagnostic accuracy; (5) examine outcomes meaningful to people with an SMI diagnosis, such as loneliness and sense of belonging, and stigma and their complex relationship with early mortality; (6) advance the science of pharmaceuticals, drug discovery, and choice in medication use; (7) use precision medicine to inform treatment; and (8) redefine the terms system literacy and health literacy. Conclusions and Relevance: The recommendations of this roundtable are a starting point for changing practice and highlighting lived experience-led research priorities as an option to move the field forward.

Healthy choices, healthy changes: A randomized trial of incentives to promote healthy eating and exercise in people with schizophrenia and other serious mental illnesses.

INTRODUCTION: People with schizophrenia and other serious mental illnesses (SMI) represent a concerning health disparity population, with 10-30 fewer years of life compared to the general population, mainly from high rates of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Preventing CVD is possible with exercise and diet interventions, but only 50 % of participants in clinical trials achieve reduction in CVD risk. This study assessed whether cash incentives improved weight loss, cardiovascular endurance, and/or mortality risk when added to one of four healthy lifestyle programs (gym membership, Weight Watchers membership, the InSHAPE program, InSHAPE + Weight Watchers). METHODS: From 2012 to 2015, 1348 overweight or obese adults with SMI enrolled in a study using equipoise stratified randomization. Participants were randomly assigned to intervention, then to cash incentives, or not, for participation (gym and/or Weight Watchers), with baseline and quarterly assessments for 12 months. We examined effects of the interventions, key covariates, and incentives, using generalized linear models. RESULTS: Main effects of randomization to receive cash incentives was not significant for any outcome; whereas total amount of incentives was significantly associated with all three primary outcomes (weight loss, cardiovascular endurance, mortality risk), mainly for participants in the InSHAPE+WW group who received additional cash incentives. CONCLUSIONS: Incentives may be effective at preventing CVD and improving health outcomes for people with SMI, especially in the context of intensive support for healthy lifestyle behaviors. Policy changes are required to increase access to healthy lifestyle programming and more research is needed to establish the optimal amount of incentives for people with SMI. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT02515981.

Certified Peer Support Specialists Training in Technology and Delivery of Digital Peer Support Services: Cross-sectional Study.

BACKGROUND: When the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown measures were instituted, the wide-scale necessity for remote mental health care increased among professional clinicians, such as psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, and certified peer support (CPS) specialists. Factors contributing to increased demand include concern for the safety of loved ones, the safety of oneself, overall well-being, unemployment, and loneliness for older individuals. While demand continues to increase and a shortage of mental health professionals persists, understanding the training, technology, media, and delivery of digital peer support services can facilitate community-based support services to assist patients in coping with mental health symptoms between clinical encounters with licensed professionals. Digital peer support consists of asynchronous and synchronous, live or automated, peer support services such as applications, social media, and phone calls. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this cross-sectional study is to determine how digital peer support is delivered, by which technologies it is delivered, and how certified digital peer supporters are trained within the United States to inform future delivery of digital peer support. METHODS: We used an online cross-sectional self-report survey developed alongside certified peer specialists. The study included questions regarding the types of peer support training and the delivery methods used within their practices. We advertised the survey through a certified peer support specialist listserve, Facebook, and Twitter. RESULTS: Certified peer specialists provide mutual social emotional support to those with a similar mental health condition. Of certified peer specialists trained in CPS, the majority of CPS specialists were trained in peer support (418/426, 98.1%). Peer support specialists deliver services via telephone calls (182/293, 62.1%), via videoconference-based services (160/293, 54.6%), via SMS text messages (123/293, 42%), via smartphone apps (68/293, 23.2%), and via social media (65/293, 22.2%). Certified peer specialists deliver services through virtual reality (11/293, 3.8%) and through video games (6/293, 2%). Virtual reality and video games may represent emerging technologies to develop and deliver community-based support. CONCLUSIONS: This study examined the modes of digital peer support intervention as well as the training and demographic background of peer supporters. Given the demand for mental health care, digital peer support emerges as one option to increase access. These results suggest that CPS specialists commonly use SMS text messaging, phone calls, and videoconferences to engage in peer support. Less frequently, they may use diverse modes such as apps, social media, and video games. It is important to consider the backgrounds of peer supporters and the mediums of communication to best accommodate areas where access to peer support is emerging. Larger longitudinal studies and a variety of experimental designs may be considered to understand the efficacy of digital interventions and digital peer support training to direct optimal care.

E-Cigarette Provision to Promote Switching in Cigarette Smokers With Serious Mental Illness-A Randomized Trial.

BACKGROUND: High cigarette smoking prevalence and low quit rates in people with serious mental illness (SMI) contribute to disparate rates of chronic disease and premature death. This prospective trial tested the impact of switching to a potentially lower-harm nicotine-containing product on smoking in this population. AIMS AND METHODS: A total of 240 cigarette smokers with SMI who tried but were currently unwilling to quit were randomly assigned to receive disposable e-cigarettes for 8 weeks or not, with assessments at baseline, 2, 4, 6, 8, 13, and 26 weeks. Generalized linear mixed models examined the effects of e-cigarette provision on e-cigarette appeal, cigarettes per day (CPD), breath carbon monoxide (CO), nicotine dependence, and side effects. Clinical Trial registration: NCT03050853. RESULTS: Self-reported smoking was similar between groups at baseline (mean = 18.7 CPD). By week 2, 79% of the e-cigarette group were using e-cigarettes daily. During weeks 2-8, CPD and CO decreased in the e-cigarette versus assessment-only group (eg, 7.5 CPD [95% CI = 5.9, 9.2] vs. 18.1 CPD [CI = 16.4, 19.8] and 16.4 ppm [CI = 13.4, 19.5] vs. 25.4 ppm [CI = 22.4, 28.9], respectively, at week 2). Additionally, 19%-22% in the e-cigarette group reported smoking no cigarettes in weeks 2-8 compared to 0% in the assessment-only group. By 13 and 26 weeks, group differences in CPD, but not CO, remained significant. Nicotine dependence did not increase and side effects were minor. CONCLUSIONS: Providing e-cigarettes for 8 weeks to smokers with SMI resulted in substantial reductions in CPD and CO. Enhancing and maintaining switching from cigarettes to e-cigarettes warrant further study. IMPLICATIONS: This was the first prospective study to compare e-cigarette provision with assessments only to evaluate the appeal and impact of e-cigarettes on smoking behavior, carbon monoxide exposure, and nicotine dependence among smokers with SMI who had tried but were unable to quit and were not currently interested in cessation treatment. The finding that e-cigarette provision led to significant reductions in smoking and carbon monoxide without increasing nicotine dependence has implications for reducing harm not only among the millions of smokers with SMI who struggle to quit, but also for other vulnerable smokers who cannot achieve cessation.

Characteristics of and reasons for electronic cigarette use among adult smokers with schizophrenia/schizoaffective disorder.

BACKGROUND: The objective of our study was to determine lifetime and current e-cigarette use among adult cigarette smokers with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder, and to describe characteristics of these e-cigarette users. METHODS: Adult daily tobacco smokers with schizophrenia who were psychiatrically stable in outpatient treatment (n = 162) were enrolled in a motivational intervention study from 2013 to 2015 and followed for 6 months. Approximately 80% (n = 140) completed a 6-month follow-up, including the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health survey. RESULTS: Among the 140 participants, 46% (n = 64) reported ever using e-cigarettes and 15% (n = 21) reported current use. Participants were significantly more likely to report ever-use if they were younger (Chi-square = 11.7, P < .01), lesbian/gay/bisexual (LGB) (Chi-square = 4.8, P = .03), or reported recent drug use (Chi-square = 6.5, P = .01). In a multivariate model, only age remained a significant predictor of ever-use (coefficient: 0.03; P = .02). The most common reasons for using e-cigarettes were "helps people quit cigarettes" and "less harmful to me or to people around me than cigarettes." Current e-cigarette users had significantly lower carbon monoxide levels than past e-cigarettes users (T = 2.08, P = .04). CONCLUSIONS: Almost one-half of smokers with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder reported ever using e-cigarettes. Interventions for tobacco use among this demographic should incorporate recognition of e-cigarette use, particularly among younger adults, illicit drug users, and LGB individuals.

Assessing a digital peer support self-management intervention for adults with serious mental illness: feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary effectiveness.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary effectiveness of digital peer support integrated medical and psychiatric self-management intervention ("PeerTECH") for adults with a serious mental illness. METHODS: Twenty-one adults with a chart diagnosis of a serious mental illness (i.e., schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, bipolar disorder, or treatment-refractory major depressive disorder) and at least one medical comorbidity (i.e., cardiovascular disease, obesity, diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, hypertension, and/or high cholesterol) aged 18 years and older received the PeerTECH intervention in the community. Nine peer support specialists were trained to deliver PeerTECH. Data were collected at baseline and 12-weeks. RESULTS: This pilot study demonstrated that a 12-week, digital peer support integrated medical and psychiatric self-management intervention for adults with serious mental illness was feasible and acceptable among peer support specialists and patients and was associated with statistically significant improvements in self-efficacy to manage chronic disease and personal empowerment. In addition, pre/post non-statistically significant improvements were observed in psychiatric self-management, medical self-management skills, and feelings of loneliness. CONCLUSIONS: This single-arm pre/post pilot study demonstrated preliminary evidence peer support specialists could offer a fidelity-adherent digital peer support self-management intervention to adults with serious mental illness. These findings build on the evidence that a digital peer support self-management intervention for adults with serious mental illness designed to improve medical and psychiatric self-management is feasible, acceptable, and shows promising evidence of improvements in clinical outcomes. The use of technology among peer support specialists may be a promising tool to facilitate the delivery of peer support and guided evidence-based self-management support.People with serious mental illness (SMI; defined as individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia spectrum disorder, bipolar disorder, or treatment-refractory major depressive disorder) are increasingly utilizing peer support services to support their health and recovery. Peer support is defined as shared knowledge, experience, emotional, social, and/or practical assistance to support others with similar lived experiences (Solomon, 2004). Most recently the definition also includes the provision of evidence-based peer-supported self-management services (Fortuna et al., 2020). Mental health peer support can augment the traditional mental health treatment system through providing support services to maintain recovery between clinical encounters (Solomon, 2004) and is classified by the World Health Organization as an essential element of recovery (World, Health, and Organization, About social determinants of health, 2017).

Feasibility and Preliminary Effectiveness of a Peer-Developed and Virtually Delivered Community Mental Health Training Program (Emotional CPR): Pre-Post Study.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a global mental health crisis, highlighting the need for a focus on community-wide mental health. Emotional CPR (eCPR) is a program and practice developed by persons with a lived experience of recovery from trauma or mental health challenges to train community members from diverse backgrounds to support others through mental health crises. eCPR trainers have found that eCPR may promote feelings of belonging by increasing supportive behaviors toward individuals with mental health problems. Thus, clinical outcomes related to positive and negative affect would improve along with feelings of loneliness. OBJECTIVE: This study examined the feasibility and preliminary effectiveness of eCPR. METHODS: We employed a pre-post design with 151 individuals, including peer support specialists, service users, clinicians, family members, and nonprofit leaders, who participated in virtual eCPR trainings between April 20, 2020, and July 31, 2020. Instruments were administered before and after training and included the Herth Hope Scale; Empowerment Scale; Flourishing Scale (perceived capacity to support individuals); Mindful Attention Awareness Scale; Active-Empathic Listening Scale (supportive behaviors toward individuals with mental health challenges); Social Connectedness Scale (feelings of belonging and connection with others); Positive and Negative Affect Schedule; and University of California, Los Angeles 3-item Loneliness Scale (symptoms and emotions). The eCPR fidelity scale was used to determine the feasibility of delivering eCPR with fidelity. We conducted 2-tailed paired t tests to examine posttraining improvements related to each scale. Additionally, data were stratified to identify pre-post differences by role. RESULTS: Findings indicate that it is feasible for people with a lived experience of a mental health condition to develop a program and train people to deliver eCPR with fidelity. Statistically significant pre-post changes were found related to one's ability to identify emotions, support others in distress, communicate nonverbally, share emotions, and take care of oneself, as well as to one's feelings of social connectedness, self-perceived flourishing, and positive affect (P≤.05). Findings indicated promising evidence of pre-post improvements (not statistically significant) related to loneliness, empowerment, active-empathetic listening, mindfulness awareness, and hope. Nonprofit leaders and workers demonstrated the greatest improvements related to loneliness, social connectedness, empathic listening, and flourishing. Peer support specialists demonstrated the greatest improvements related to positive affect, and clinicians demonstrated the greatest improvements related to mindfulness awareness. CONCLUSIONS: Promising evidence indicates that eCPR, a peer-developed and peer-delivered program, may increase feelings of belonging while increasing supportive behaviors toward individuals with mental health problems and improving clinical outcomes related to positive and negative affect and feelings of loneliness.

Loneliness and its Association with Health Behaviors in People with a Lived Experience of a Serious Mental Illness.

To explore the association between loneliness and efficacy to engage in health behaviors that are known to reduce the risk of early mortality in people with serious mental illness (SMI). This secondary data analysis was based on a cross-sectional study of 113 participants with SMI residing in New Hampshire. Ordinary Least Squares regressions were used to examine bivariate relationships between variables of interest. Participants had a primary mental health diagnosis of major depressive disorder (37.2%), schizophrenia spectrum disorder (28.3%), bipolar disorder (29.2%), or posttraumatic stress disorder (5.3%). High levels of loneliness were associated with low levels of self-efficacy to manage chronic diseases (p = 0.0001), as well as low levels of self-efficacy to manage psychological well-being (R2 = .31; F = 9.49, p = 0.0001; RMSE = 1.66). Loneliness may serve as a barrier to healthy behaviors, and thus, contribute to early mortality among people with SMI. The growing body of literature that demonstrates the importance of addressing loneliness in people with SMI should stimulate policymakers and researchers to target loneliness as a mechanism to address early mortality in people with SMI.

Brief, Web-Based Interventions to Motivate Smokers With Schizophrenia: Randomized Trial.

BACKGROUND: In-person motivational interventions increase engagement with evidence-based cessation treatments among smokers with schizophrenia, but access to such interventions can be limited because of workforce shortages and competing demands in mental health clinics. The use of digital technology to deliver interventions can increase access, but cognitive impairments in schizophrenia may impede the use of standard digital interventions. We developed an interactive, multimedia, digital motivational decision support system for smokers with schizophrenia (Let's Talk About Smoking). We also digitalized a standard educational pamphlet from the National Cancer Institute (NCI Education). Both were tailored to reduce cognitive load during use. OBJECTIVE: We conducted a randomized trial of Let's Talk About Smoking versus NCI Education to test whether the interactive motivational intervention was more effective and more appealing than the static educational intervention for increasing use of smoking cessation treatment, quit attempts, and abstinence among smokers with schizophrenia, accounting for the level of cognitive functioning. METHODS: Adult smokers with schizophrenia (n=162) were enrolled in the study from 2014 to 2015, randomly assigned to intervention condition, and assessed in person at 3- and 6-month follow-ups. Interventions were delivered on a laptop computer in a single session. All participants had access to standard, community-delivered cessation treatments during follow-up. Multivariate models were used to evaluate outcomes. RESULTS: Treatment initiation outcomes were not different between intervention conditions (27/84 [32%] for Let's Talk About Smoking vs 36/78 [46%] for NCI Education; odds ratio [OR] 0.71 [95% CI 0.37-1.33]); 38.9% (63/162) of participants initiated treatment. Older age (OR 1.03 [95% CI 1.00-1.07]; P=.05), higher education (OR 1.21 [95% CI 1.04-1.41]; P=.03), and fewer positive symptoms (OR 0.87 [95% CI 0.80-0.96]; P=.01) predicted cessation treatment initiation, whereas level of cognition did not. The mean satisfaction and usability index score was higher for Let's Talk About Smoking versus NCI Education (8.9 [SD 1.3] vs 8.3 [SD 2.1]; t120.7=2.0; P=.045). Quit attempts (25/84, 30% vs 36/78, 46%; estimate [Est]=-0.093, SE 0.48; P=.85) and abstinence (1/84, 1% vs 6/78, 7%; χ21=3.4; P=.07) were not significantly different between intervention conditions. Cognitive functioning at baseline (Est=1.47, SE 0.47; P=.002) and use of any behavioral or medication cessation treatment (Est=1.43, SE 0.47; P=.003) predicted quit attempts with self-reported abstinence over the 6-month follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: The interactive, multimedia intervention was not more effective than the static, text-based intervention among smokers with schizophrenia. Both tailored digital interventions resulted in levels of treatment engagement and quit attempts that were similar to findings from previous studies of in-person interventions, confirming the potential role of digital interventions to educate and motivate smokers with schizophrenia to use cessation treatment and to quit smoking. These findings indicate that additional cessation treatment is needed after brief education or motivational interventions, and that cessation treatment should be adjusted for people with cognitive impairment. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02086162; https://clinicaltrials.gov/show/NCT02086162.

Deficits in Sexual Interest Among Adults With Schizophrenia: Another Look at an Old Problem.

OBJECTIVE: Despite the important impact of sexuality on quality of life in adults, there is a paucity of research on this topic for people with schizophrenia. This study examined predictors of sexual interest among adults with schizophrenia. METHODS: Using data from three studies with similar measures and participants with similar characteristics (N=231), the authors conducted a secondary analysis to examine the relationships among sexual interest, demographic characteristics (gender, age, living situation, and marital status), and clinical factors (sexual self-efficacy, symptom severity, and medications). Sexual interest was measured by using one item from the Scale to Assess Negative Symptoms. Binomial logistic regressions were conducted to explore factors most associated with level of sexual interest. RESULTS: Separately, cardiovascular medications, gender, age, sexual self-efficacy, and negative symptoms were associated with sexual interest. In a logistic regression model that included all of these factors, only sexual self-efficacy and gender were significantly associated with sexual interest. Higher levels of sexual self-efficacy were associated with lower levels of impairment in sexual interest (odds ratio [OR]=0.98, 95% confidence interval [CI]=0.98-0.99, p<0.001), and males were less likely than females to have impaired sexual interest (OR=0.38, 95% CI=0.20-0.73, p=0.004). CONCLUSIONS: The strength of the relationship between sexual self-efficacy and sexual interest warrants development of interventions to address sexuality among people with serious mental illness, at least for those who are interested in developing or maintaining intimate relationships. An intervention that teaches skills needed to successfully pursue and navigate intimate relationships could positively influence overall quality of life for many.

Electronic Cigarette Use During a Randomized Trial of Interventions for Smoking Cessation Among Medicaid Beneficiaries with Mental Illness.

Objective: People with mental illness have high rates of cigarette smoking, but many wish to quit. Electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) use has become increasingly common, especially among smokers who wish to quit, but research on whether this facilitates quitting has been mixed, and little research has examined e-cigarette use among smokers with mental illness. This secondary analysis examined the associations between spontaneous e-cigarette use during cessation treatment and 6-month outcomes within a cessation trial among Medicaid beneficiaries with mental illness. Main outcomes were previously reported. Methods: Adult Medicaid beneficiaries receiving mental health services were recruited between 2012 and 2015. Eligible daily smokers were randomized, using equipoise stratification, to one of six cessation treatment conditions (combinations of prescriber visit for pharmacotherapy, behavioral interventions, and abstinence incentives; e-cigarette use was not a recommended intervention). Presence of any self-reported e-cigarette use, all tobacco product use, quit attempts, and biologically verified abstinence were assessed at 3, 6, 9, and 12 months. The 456 participants who completed the 6-month assessment were included in logistic regressions, adjusting for subject characteristics and treatment condition, examining associations between self-reported, spontaneous e-cigarette use and 6-month outcomes. We evaluated three outcomes: biologically verified abstinence at 6 months, quit attempts over the treatment period, and heavy smoking (≥20 cigarettes per day) at 6 months. Results: Any use of e-cigarettes was reported by 192 participants (42.1%) during the treatment period. Use of pharmacotherapy was not different between those who used e-cigarettes and those who did not use e-cigarettes. A total of 13.5% of participants (n = 61) had achieved biologically verified abstinence at the 6-month assessment. E-cigarettes were not significantly associated with biologically verified abstinence, use of cessation pharmacotherapy, self-reported quit attempts, or heavy smoking at the 6-month assessment. Conclusions: Spontaneous e-cigarette use during cessation treatment was common among smokers with mental illness and was not associated with positive or negative treatment outcomes. The high rate of naturalistic e-cigarette use in this group suggests that e-cigarettes are an appealing strategy to obtain nicotine during cessation treatment that could be harnessed as a smoking cessation tool or for harm reduction.

Unmet Needs of People with Serious Mental Illness: Perspectives from Certified Peer Specialists.

Examine the unmet needs of people with serious mental illness (SMI) from the perspective of certified peer specialists. 267 certified peer specialists from 38 states completed an online survey (female [73%], 50.9 [SD = 12] years, and non-Hispanic White [79.8%]). Many respondents reported a primary mental health diagnoses (n = 200), 22 respondents reported their diagnosis as schizophrenia spectrum disorder (11%), 46 respondents reported bipolar disorder (22.1%), 47 respondents reported major depressive disorder (22.6%), 29 respondents reported post-traumatic stress disorder (13.9%), 27 respondents reported alcohol/substance use disorder (13%), 2 respondents reported personality disorder (1%), and 12 reported "other" (5.8%). A mixed methods convergence analysis integrated quantitative with qualitative data. Social isolation (n = 160, 59.9%) and feeling lonely (n = 159, 59.6%) were the most highly endorsed unmet need, followed by the need to address chronic health conditions (n = 80, 30%), prevent mental health hospitalization (n = 71, 23.6%), and prevent drug use (n = 66, 24.7%). Four themes emerged: need to address basic necessities, loneliness and social isolation, hope, and addiction. Addressing loneliness and social isolation were identified as the primary unmet needs among people with SMI. Addressing co-morbid health conditions may simultaneously impact other unmet needs. Hope is an important intervention target. Initial insights from this study can be used to guide researchers' efforts to incorporate certified peer specialists perspectives in developing programs to meet the needs of people with SMI. Future research using participatory research methods can further examine these initial insights.

Incentivizing healthy lifestyle behaviors to reduce cardiovascular risk in people with serious mental illness: An equipoise randomized controlled trial of the wellness incentives program.

BACKGROUND: Medicaid recipients with serious mental illness die 25-30 years earlier than people in the general population due to health conditions that are modifiable through lifestyle changes. Cardiovascular diseases from excess weight, smoking, and sedentary lifestyle contribute substantially to this life expectancy disparity. The current study evaluated the impact of incentives on participation in weight management programming (for overweight and obese adults) and smoking cessation treatment (for regular smokers). METHODS: Participants were Medicaid recipients with disabling mental illness receiving services at any one of 10 community mental health centers across New Hampshire. Using an equipoise stratified randomized design, n = 1348 were enrolled and assigned to one of four weight management programs (Healthy Choices Healthy Changes: HCHC) and n = 661 were enrolled and assigned to one of three smoking cessation interventions (Breathe Well Live Well: BWLW). Following assignment to an intervention, participants were randomized to receive financial incentives (to attend weight management programs, or to achieve abstinence from smoking) or not. Data were collected at baseline and every 3 months for 12 months. DISCUSSION: New Hampshire's HCHC and BWLW programs were designed to address serious and preventable health disparities by providing incentivized health promotion programs to overweight/obese and/or tobacco-smoking Medicaid beneficiaries with mental illness. This study was an unprecedented opportunity to evaluate an innovative statewide implementation of incentivized health promotion targeting the most at-risk and costly beneficiaries. If proven effective, this program has the potential to serve as a national model for widespread implementation.

Menthol cigarette use in young adult smokers with severe mental illnesses.

INTRODUCTION: Smokers with severe mental illness (SMI) are more likely to start smoking and less likely to quit. Menthol may facilitate smoking progression, dependence, and maintenance by reducing harshness and irritation from smoking and providing a unique sensory experience during use. High rates of menthol use have been reported in smokers with SMI, but information on young adults with SMI has not been reported. METHODS: This study provides a secondary analysis to assess the impact of menthol use in a pilot trial of brief tobacco interventions. Participants were assessed at baseline and again at a 3-month follow-up with structured interviews and breath carbon monoxide to confirm self-reported 7-day abstinence at follow-up. RESULTS: Participants included 81 young adult smokers with SMI, mean age of 24.2 years (SD = 3.6; range 18-30). Overall, 58% of the group reported that they recently used a menthol-flavored product. Menthol use was correlated with race (African American [18/21, 85.7%] vs. White [24/53, 45.3%] or other race [5/7, 71.4%]; χ2 = 10.7, p = .005) and more lifetime psychiatric hospitalizations (t = 2.39, p = .02), but not with cigarettes per day, nicotine dependence, quit attempts over the follow-up period, nor with achieving biologically confirmed abstinence at the follow-up assessment. CONCLUSIONS: The high prevalence of menthol-flavored cigarette use in this study group is consistent with previous reports of high rates of menthol use among young adults, Blacks, and middle-aged SMI smokers. This study supports existing evidence that policies to restrict menthol flavoring in combustible tobacco products could reduce smoking in young adults with SMI. IMPLICATIONS: High rates of menthol use have been reported in middle-aged smokers with SMI, but information on young adults with SMI has not been reported. In this study, more than half (58%) of 81 young adult smokers with SMI used a menthol-flavored product. Menthol use was associated with race and with history of psychiatric hospitalizations. The research supports existing evidence that policies to restrict menthol flavoring in combustible tobacco products could reduce smoking in young adults with SMI.

Attitudes about smoking cessation treatment, intention to quit, and cessation treatment utilization among young adult smokers with severe mental illnesses.

SIGNIFICANCE: Young adults with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and other severe mental illnesses (SMI) have high rates of smoking, but little research has evaluated predictors of cessation activity and treatment utilization in this group. METHODS: We assessed attitudes, beliefs, social norms, perceived behavioral control, intention, quit attempts, treatment utilization, and cessation among 58 smokers with SMI, age 18-30, enrolled in a randomized pilot study comparing a brief interactive/motivational vs. a static/educational computerized intervention. Subjects were assessed at baseline, post intervention, and 3-month follow-up. RESULTS: Over follow-up, one-third of participants self-reported quit attempts. Baseline measures indicating lower breath CO, greater intention to quit, higher perceptions of stigma, higher perceptions of psychological benefits of smoking, and greater symptom distress were associated with quit attempts, whereas gender, diagnosis, social support, attitudes about smoking, and use of cessation treatment were not. In the multivariate analysis, lower breath CO, higher intention to quit and symptom distress were significantly related to quit attempts. Only 5% of participants utilized verified cessation treatment during follow-up. Consistent with the Theory of Planned Behavior, attitudes, social norms and perceived behavioral control regarding cessation treatments correlated significantly with intention to use treatment. Norms and beliefs about treatment were somewhat positive and some improved after intervention, with a pattern significantly favoring the interactive intervention, but intentions to use treatments remained low, consistent with low treatment utilization. CONCLUSIONS: Perceptions of traditional cessation treatments improved somewhat after brief interventions, but most young adult smokers with SMI did not use cessation treatment. Instead, interventions led to quit attempts without treatment.

Brief Web-Based Interventions for Young Adult Smokers With Severe Mental Illnesses: A Randomized, Controlled Pilot Study.

Significance: About 50% of young adults with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and other severe mental illnesses smoke tobacco, but few studies have evaluated interventions for this group. Methods: We conducted a randomized pilot study among 58 young adult smokers with severe mental illnesses comparing a brief interactive web-based motivational tool, Let's Talk About Smoking, to computerized standard education from the National Cancer Institute. An additional 23 subjects received minimal tobacco assessment at baseline and no intervention, providing a comparison condition for naturalistic cessation behavior. All participants (total n = 81) were assessed for smoking and breath carbon monoxide at baseline and 14 weeks and had access to standard cessation treatments. Results: The 81 participants were stable outpatients ages 18-30 (mean 24.8 years): 43.2% were diagnosed with schizophrenia-spectrum disorders, the remainder with severe mood and anxiety disorders. They smoked 14.6 ± 10.2 cigarettes per day. All participants completed their assigned intervention; 83.4% of Let's Talk About Smoking users and 71.4% of standard education users rated their intervention "good" or "very good." At 14 weeks, less than 15% of participants in all conditions had used additional cessation treatment. Let's Talk About Smoking users were more likely to have biologically verified abstinence at 14 weeks than standard education users (14.8% vs. 0%; X2 = 3.7, p = .05). None of the participants in the naturalistic comparison condition were abstinent at 14 weeks. Conclusions: Interactive, web-based motivational interventions are feasible and promising for smoking cessation among young smokers with severe mental illnesses. Such interventions warrant further study among this group of smokers. Implications: Young adult smokers with severe mental illnesses are a vulnerable population that, without intervention, goes on to experience disparate morbidity and mortality. Brief, easily disseminable interventions are needed to facilitate cessation in this group. This pilot research indicates that brief, technology-delivered, motivational interventions that are tailored for this group may be able to activate a significant number to quit without additional cessation intervention.

Randomized Trial of Interventions for Smoking Cessation Among Medicaid Beneficiaries With Mental Illness.

OBJECTIVE: Medicaid beneficiaries with severe mental illnesses are a financially disadvantaged group with high rates of smoking and poor cessation outcomes. This study examined whether abstinence-contingent monetary incentives improved outcomes when added to cessation treatments at community mental health centers: prescriber visit for pharmacotherapy only (PV only), prescriber visit and facilitated quitline (PV+Q), and prescriber visit and telephone cognitive-behavioral therapy (PV+CBT). METHODS: During 2012-2015, a total of 1,468 adult, daily smoking Medicaid beneficiaries with mental illnesses received Web-based motivational tobacco education. Eligible participants who wanted cessation treatment (N=661) were randomly assigned to treatment with or without abstinence-contingent incentives for four weeks after a quit attempt and assessed for biologically verified abstinence at three, six, nine, and 12 months. To examine intervention effect on abstinence over time, logistic generalized linear models estimated with generalized estimating equations were used, with missing observations imputed as smoking. RESULTS: Participants included smokers with schizophrenia disorders (N=148), bipolar disorder (N=150), major depressive disorder (N=158), and anxiety and other disorders (N=205). There was no significant effect of intervention (PV only, PV+Q, and PV+CBT). However, participants who received monetary incentives were more likely to be abstinent from smoking over time (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]=1.77, p=.009). Post hoc comparisons indicated greater abstinence at 12 months in PV+Q with incentives than in PV+Q without incentives (14% versus 4% abstinent, AOR=3.94, p=.014). Treatment participation and cessation outcomes did not differ significantly between diagnostic groups. CONCLUSIONS: Abstinence-contingent incentives improved cessation outcomes among financially disadvantaged smokers with mental illness receiving tobacco treatment at community mental health centers.