title: Nicotine dependence in the mental disorders, relationship with clinical indicators, and the meaning for the user.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  to identify the degree of nicotine dependence among patients with schizophrenia and other mental disorders hospitalized in a general hospital, correlating these indices with clinical indicators and the meaning for the user.
  
  
  METHODS
  the study was performed in the psychiatric unit of a general hospital, interviewing 270 patients with mental disorders using a questionnaire and the application of the Fagerstrom test. A descriptive statistical analysis of the data and thematic analysis of the content were performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  among the 270 patients with mental disorders, 35.6% were smokers; of whom, 53.2% presented high or very high nicotine dependence. Of the 96 smokers, 32 (33.3%) were schizophrenic, among whom, 59.4% presented high or very high dependence. Higher levels of dependence were also found among the 59 elderly people (61.5%) and 60 subjects with somatic comorbidities (62.5%). Meanings of smoking for the subjects: helps to forget problems and face daily conflicts; alleviates side effects of the medications; self-control; distraction; part of life.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  more intense tobacco dependence among schizophrenic patients is justified due to it helping them to cope with the difficulties of the disease. Nurses occupy a strategic position in the care.
authors.affiliation: Escola de Enfermagem de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Renata Marques
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: de Oliveira
authors.affiliation: Faculdade de Medicina de Marília, Marília, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Antônio Carlos
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Siqueira Júnior
authors.affiliation: Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Jair Lício Ferreira
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Santos
authors.affiliation: Escola de Enfermagem de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Antonia Regina Ferreira
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Furegato
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000150:complications*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000150:complications; D014029:Tobacco Use Disorder / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D055815:Young Adult