Psychiatric inpatient and staff attitudes regarding smoking reduction

Aims: We assessed the interest of psychiatric inpatients and the staff in a smoking reduction program. Methods: Inpatients, nurses, social workers and psychologists at a university-affiliated psychiatric hospital completed questionnaires addressing attitudes towards smoking and the desire to reduce smoking, Results: 52% of the inpatients (N=160) and 37.3% of the staff members (N= 41) reported that they smoked. Mean number of cigarettes for patients was 21.4 cigarettes per day for men, and 18.8 for women; 74 patients (46.2% of the smokers) and 96 staff members (88% of the smokers) expressed interest in participating in a smoking reduction program. No correlation was found between the rate of smoking among the staff and the rate of smoking of the patients in any given department. Conclusions: Psychiatric inpatients and their caregivers who smoke are interested in reducing the number of cigarettes that they smoke. Further study regarding the initiation of therapeutic smoking reduction programs in inpatient settings is warranted.