Tobacco use among individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities: a brief review.
Adults with IDD smoke more yet get less help—screen at intake and link to ID-aware quit services.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Matson et al. (2009) scanned every paper they could find on tobacco use in adults with intellectual or developmental disabilities.
They did not run a new experiment. They simply mapped what was known and where the gaps were.
What they found
Smoking rates are high in this group, but almost no one studies how to help them quit.
Tobacco screening is missing from most IDD health intakes, so the need stays invisible.
How this fits with other research
Chiviacowsky et al. (2013) later bundled the 2009 review into a bigger systematic check. They agreed: evidence is still thin.
Rana et al. (2024) moved the story forward. Their meta-analysis shows small but real quit-success when programs are tailored for ID.
Titlestad et al. (2019) and Dudley et al. (2019) explain why the gap persists: national surveys still lack IDD check-boxes, so the population stays hidden.
Eldridge et al. (2025) show the same neglect now hurts all substance-use care, not just tobacco.
Why it matters
If you serve adults with IDD, add one tobacco question to your intake today. One line unlocks quit-line referrals, doctor visits, and future group programs. The 2024 data prove tailored support can work; the 2025 data show no one else will do it for you.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
Tobacco use is the leading preventable cause of death in the United States. Although few tobacco control efforts target individuals with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities, this population may be especially vulnerable to the deleterious effects of tobacco use and dependence. Individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities suffer from the health, financial, and stigmatizing effects of tobacco use. The present review examined the current literature with respect to the prevalence and patterns of tobacco use in individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, the importance of addressing tobacco use in these smokers, and policies surrounding tobacco use in this population. Suggestions for additional avenues of inquiry as well as modifications to current cessation treatments are proposed.
Intellectual and developmental disabilities, 2009 · doi:10.1352/1934-9556-47.3.197