Mental health and substance use among US adults: An analysis of 2011 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Survey

BACKGROUND: The mental health effects of tobacco and alcohol use have been evaluated far less frequently compared to their effects on physical health. This study explores the relationship of using these substances and having poor mental health. METHODS: This study used the entire 2011 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) dataset collected from adults aged 18 years or more in United States. Chi-Square tests, univariate and multivariable logistic regressions were done to look at the associations. RESULTS: 155,865(30.9%) of the 504408 adults reported that their mental health was not good for 1 or more days in the previous month. For 26974 (5.35% of the sample)adults,it was not good the entire month. Current everyday smokers (Adjusted Odds Ratio[AOR]: 1.43; 95% Confidence Intervals [CI] : 1.31, 1.57), occasional smokers (AOR:1.30; 95% CI: 1.15, 1.48), binge drinkers (AOR: 1.14; 95% CI: 1.07, 1.23), those who lived with a problem drinker (AOR: 1.53, 95% CI: 1.44, 1.63) or a drug abuser (AOR: 1.34; 95% CI: 1.21, 1.48) had higher odds of having poor mental health after adjusting for all other factors. Some significant socio-demographic predictors were being female (AOR: 1.70; 95% CI: 1.61, 1.80), never married (AOR: 1.30; 95%CI: 1.20, 1.41), divorced, widowed or separated (AOR: 1.37; 95% CI: 1.28, 1.47), being out of work for more than a year (AOR: 1.86; 95% CI: 1.59, 2.19). CONCLUSION: Behaviors like substance abuse can predict poor mental health, and vice versa. Public health interventions to address them simultaneously might be useful.