title: Prevalence of substance misuse among US veterans in the general population.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Epidemiologic data on substance misuse prevalence among US Veterans are crucial to plan for Veterans' future healthcare needs. We estimated US Veterans' age-specific, overall, and age-adjusted prevalence of substance misuse, assessed whether prevalence differed between Veterans and civilians, and examined temporal trends in prevalence.
  
  
  METHODS
  Substance-related measures were obtained from the National Surveys on Drug Use and Health, 2002-2012 (N = 24,210 Veterans; 338,556 civilians).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among women and men Veterans overall, past-month heavy episodic drinking and daily cigarette smoking were the most prevalent types of substance misuse. For Veteran women and men ages 18-25, the prevalence of past-year illicit drug use was 29% and 38%, which was comparable to the prevalence of past-month daily cigarette smoking, and the prevalence of past-year prescription drug misuse was 14% and 18%. For men ages 18-25, heavy episodic drinking, daily cigarette smoking, alcohol use disorder (AUD), and substance use disorder were more prevalent among Veterans than civilians. For women, the age-specific, overall, and age-adjusted prevalence of daily cigarette smoking was generally greater among Veterans than civilians. There was a decreasing temporal trend in overall AUD prevalence among Veteran men, reflecting a decreasing trend in age-specific prevalence among Veteran men ages 35-49.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Young Veterans' high prevalence of substance misuse, and the generally high prevalence of daily smoking among Veterans, underscore the need for evidence-based assessments and treatment options that are accessible and effective for Veterans.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study provides foundational information on the epidemiology of substance misuse among Veterans. (Am J Addict 2017;26:357-365).
authors.affiliation: VA Greater Los Angeles Health Services Research and Development (HSR&D) Center for the Study of Healthcare Innovation, Implementation & Policy, Los Angeles, California.|Department of Epidemiology, UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, Los Angeles, California.
authors.forename: Katherine J
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9431-5438
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Hoggatt
authors.affiliation: Health Services Research & Development (HSR&D) Center of Innovation for Veteran-Centered and Value-Driven Care, VA Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle, Washington.|Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center (MIRECC), VA Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle, Washington.|Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington.|Department of Health Services, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington.
authors.forename: Keren
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Lehavot
authors.affiliation: Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center (MIRECC), VA Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle, Washington.
authors.forename: Marketa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Krenek
authors.affiliation: VA Greater Los Angeles Health Services Research and Development (HSR&D) Center for the Study of Healthcare Innovation, Implementation & Policy, Los Angeles, California.|David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California.
authors.forename: Catherine Amanda
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Schweizer
authors.affiliation: Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center (MIRECC), VA Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle, Washington.|Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington.|Center of Excellence in Substance Abuse Treatment and Education (CESATE), VA Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle, Washington.
authors.forename: Tracy
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Simpson
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D014728:Veterans / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055815:Young Adult