title: Readiness to quit as a predictor for outcomes of smoking-reduction programme with transdermal nicotine patch or bupropion in a sample of 308 patients with schizophrenia.
abstract: Readiness to quit has been found to predict smoking-cessation outcomes in a general population. However, little is known about the relationship between the readiness to quit and smoking-reduction outcomes in patients with schizophrenia treated with pharmacological adjuvants. The aim of this study was to examine the association between readiness to quit and smoking-reduction outcomes in patients with schizophrenia. A total of 308 subjects using nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) (N = 242) or bupropion (N = 66) participated in an 8-week smoking-reduction programme. Participants were categorised into precontemplators (N = 127), contemplators (N = 76) and preparators (N = 105) to quit smoking based on the transtheoretical model. There was a significant difference in change in number of cigarettes (NOC) (p = 0.007) and Fagerstrom test for nicotine dependence (FTND) score (nicotine dependence level) (p = 0.029) across the stages of change. A linear regression model revealed trend of increasing reduction in NOC and FTND scores in different stages of change (NOC: B = -1.22, t = -2.81, p = 0.005; FTND: B = -0.43, t = -2.57, p = 0.011). However, the 7-day point prevalence of abstinence was 5.5% (18/308), but there was no significant association between stage of change and smoking cessation (p = 0.26), possibly due to a very small sample size of successful quitters. In summary, among a cohort of institutionalised chronic schizophrenia patients receiving 8-week NRT or bupropion, stage of change can predict smoking reduction and may serve as a useful indicator for patients' preparedness before a trial of smoking reduction.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Yuli Hospital, Ministry of Health and Welfare, No. 448 Chung-Hua Road, Yuli Township, 981, Hualien County, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Kuan-Ju
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Chou
authors.forename: Hsing-Kang
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Chih-Hung
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Hung
authors.forename: Tzu-Ting
authors.initials: TT
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Chun-Ming
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Bo-Jian
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Wu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D018687:Antidepressive Agents, Second-Generation / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D016642:Bupropion / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018722:Nicotinic Agonists / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D011932:Reading; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D012907:Smoking / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000379:methods*; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013624:Taiwan; D061485:Tobacco Use Cessation Devices
chemical_list: D018687:Antidepressive Agents, Second-Generation; D018722:Nicotinic Agonists; D016642:Bupropion