Variations in smoking during hospitalization in psychiatric in-patient units and smoking prevalence in patients and health-care staff.
BACKGROUND
Smoking and exposure to smoke are important concerns, especially in psychiatric in-patient services.


OBJECTIVE
Our aims were to study variations in smoking after hospitalization for psychiatric in-patients, and to evaluate smoking-related concerns and prevalence for both patients and health-care staff.


METHODS
A similar survey was mailed to staff members and proposed individually to all recently admitted patients; participation rates were 39% and 79% respectively.


RESULTS
Three days after admission, 4/10 patients had increased and 3/10 had decreased their daily tobacco use. Univariate analysis of variance showed nicotine dependence scores to be associated with variations in consumption (p = .005): whereas 74% of heavy smokers decreased cigarette consumption, 80% of light and 57% of moderate smokers increased their consumption. The prevalence of current smoking was twice as high in patients (72%) as compared to health-care professionals (31%). Patients were also more nicotine dependent (Heaviness of Smoking Index (HSI) = 3.97/vs. 1.81), and half of the patients were heavy smokers (> 20 cigarettes/day), as opposed to only 6.3% of the staff.


CONCLUSIONS
Smoking prevalence and daily tobacco consumption are very high in psychiatric patients. After hospitalization, light and moderate smokers increased whereas heavy smokers decreased smoking.
Keizer
Ineke
I
Department of Psychiatry, Adult Psychiatric Service, University Hospital of Geneva, Switzerland. Ineke.Keizer@hcuge.ch
Eytan
Ariel
A
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D007297:Inpatients / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D008505:Medical Staff, Hospital / Q000523:psychology*; D015995:Prevalence; D011567:Psychiatric Department, Hospital; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology* / Q000639:trends; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution
D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution