Rates of Tobacco Use Disorder, Pharmacologic Treatment, and Associated Mental Health Disorders in a Medicaid Claim Review Among Youth in Indiana, USA

Kimberly McBrayer; Fangqian Ouyang; Zachary Adams; Leslie Hulvershorn; Matthew C Aalsma

doi:10.1177/1179173X221119133

Rates of Tobacco Use Disorder, Pharmacologic Treatment, and Associated Mental Health Disorders in a Medicaid Claim Review Among Youth in Indiana, USA

Tob Use Insights. 2022 Aug 27:15:1179173X221119133. doi: 10.1177/1179173X221119133. eCollection 2022.

Authors

Kimberly McBrayer¹, Fangqian Ouyang², Zachary Adams³, Leslie Hulvershorn³, Matthew C Aalsma¹

Affiliations

¹ Section of Adolescent Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA.
² Department of Biostatistics, Indiana University Richard M. Fairbanks School of Public Health, Indianapolis, IN, USA.
³ Department of Psychiatry, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA.

Abstract

Purpose: This study delineates a number of Medicaid youth with tobacco use disorder (TUD), prescribing habits for treatment, and associated externalizing disorders.

Methods: Youth Medicaid claims from 2007-2017 processed in a large Midwestern city were analyzed for a diagnosis of TUD, related pharmacotherapy, and externalizing mental health and substance use disorders.

Results: Claims connected 6541 patients with 42 890 visits. Mean age was 16.4 with 40% female. 1232 of the 6541 charts contained a TUD diagnosis equating to 1848 visits. A comorbid diagnosis of ADHD, cannabis use, and conduct disorder were more common in males (3.9% vs 1.3% in females; 3.4% vs .8%; and 2.8% vs .8%; P < .05). 808 scripts were provided to 152 of the 1232 youths, with 4.7% of those scripts a nicotine replacement product.

Conclusions: Pharmacotherapy is underutilized in this Medicaid claims data set. Certain externalizing factors were associated with males with TUD more than females.

Keywords: adolescent behavior; medicaid; tobacco use cessation; tobacco use disorder.