Longitudinal rates of smoking in a schizophrenia sample.
OBJECTIVE
Despite the well documented link between high rates of smoking and schizophrenia, there have been no longitudinal studies that have looked at rates of smoking and associated factors over time. This prospective study examined the longitudinal rates of smoking in a schizophrenia clinic sample over a decade.


METHODS
Longitudinal survey research was conducted in a well established community-based psychiatric rehabilitation program in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, providing long-term intensive case management and rehabilitation skills training. Stable community outpatients diagnosed with schizophrenia were surveyed initially in 1995 (n = 102) and then resurveyed 11 years later in 2006 (n = 76). The main outcome measure was self-report of smoking status.


RESULTS
Smoking rates dropped significantly over time, with evidence that the number of "quitters" tripled over the past decade and the number of "everyday" smokers decreased by almost a third from 63.2% down to 43.3% (p<0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
The findings from the present study suggest that it is possible to obtain reduced smoking prevalence over time in a selected schizophrenia outpatient sample, though further research is required to better understand the factors related to quitting smoking in individuals with schizophrenia.
Department of Psychology, York University, 4700 Keele St., North York, Ontario, Canada M3J 1P3. jgoldber@yorku.ca
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Goldberg
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Van Exan
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009864:Ontario / Q000453:epidemiology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000074606:Smoking Prevention
D014150:Antipsychotic Agents