Smoking attitudes, beliefs, and readiness to change among acute and long term care inpatients with psychiatric diagnoses

• Published in: Addictive behaviors Vol. 24; no. 3; pp. 331 - 344
• Main Authors: Carosella, Ann Marie, Ossip-Klein, Deborah J, Owens, Christina A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01.05.1999; New York, NY Elsevier; Elsevier Science Ltd
• Subjects: Acute Disease; Adult; Attitude to Health; Attitudes; Biological and medical sciences; Desintoxication. Drug withdrawal; Diagnosis, Dual (Psychiatry); Female; Hospitalization; Hospitals, Psychiatric; Humans; Long-Term Care; Male; Medical sciences; Mental disorders; Mental Disorders - complications; Mental Disorders - diagnosis; Mental Disorders - rehabilitation; Middle Aged; Patients; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Self Efficacy; Severity of Illness Index; Smoking; Smoking - psychology; Smoking cessation; Tobacco Use Disorder - complications; Tobacco Use Disorder - diagnosis; Treatments; Belief; Human; Attitude; Detoxification; Tobacco smoking; Hospitalization; Knowledge; Long term; Concomitant disease; Treatment; Motivation; Risk factor; Mental disorder
• ISSN: 0306-4603; 1873-6327
• DOI: 10.1016/S0306-4603(98)00096-3

The present study represents an initial assessment of barriers and motives for quitting, health risk knowledge, and readiness to change in a hospitalized acute and long term care population with psychiatric diagnoses, and dual diagnoses of substance abuse and psychiatric disorders. Ninety-two patients residing in admissions, long term care, and mentally impaired/chemically addicted (MICA) units of a VA Medical Center were interviewed by nursing staff. Among the 78% of patients who smoke (smokers), 68% believed smoking was harmful and quitting would benefit their health. The majority of smokers were in Precontemplation (53%) or Contemplation (24%). Smokers in the MICA unit were more similar to the general population in smoking related beliefs and were more likely than other smokers to be in Preparation. These results indicate a need for educational and motivational enhancement interventions for the majority of smokers hospitalized for psychiatric disorders.