An Online Survey of Family Members' Beliefs and Attitudes About Smoking and Mental Illness

Abstract

Objective Family beliefs about smoking and cessation may influence whether individuals with mental illness who smoke use effective cessation treatment. We surveyed family members online regarding beliefs about smoking and cessation among people with mental illness. Method Two hundred fifty-six family members of individuals with mental illness completed an online survey. Responses were summarized and t tests were used to compare responses based on the family member’s smoking status. Results One-quarter of respondents agreed that people with mental illness must smoke to manage mental health symptoms, nearly half (48%) expressed uncertainty about the whether nicotine replacement therapy is harmful for this population, and 69% believed that family members do not have the skills to help an individual with mental illness quit smoking. Conclusions Misconceptions about smoking and mental illness and uncertainty about the safety of cessation treatment may interfere with family support for quitting smoking among people with mental illness.

Feasibility of a support person intervention to promote smoking cessation treatment use among smokers with mental illness

“…person intervention for smokers with mental illness to include in person recruitment strategies. A recent survey of family members' beliefs and attitudes about smoking and mental illness revealed that many family members of smokers with mental illness are uncertain about the safety of cessation treatment for individuals with mental illness [10]. All of the support persons recruited for the present study from a NAMI state affiliate were family members of individuals with mental illness who smoked.…”

“…Content was added to the original support person intervention manual to address common beliefs and concerns about smoking and mental illness (e.g., tobacco is necessary self-medication, smoking cessation medication is harmful). The decision to modify the support person intervention content was informed by the literature documenting prevailing myths and concerns that have likely contributed to tobacco use among people with mental illness [10,11,15], and based on informal conversations with NAMI leaders and family members of persons with mental illness regarding their beliefs and concerns about smoking and cessation treatment. The original evidence-based coaching techniques used in the support person intervention were not substantially modified during this process.…”

“…support persons of individuals with mental illness who smoke. Many family members of smokers with mental illness are uncertain about the safety of cessation treatment for people with mental illness [10]. Additionally, family members have expressed beliefs that smoking helps people with mental illness cope with stress in their lives, and some family members are concerned that quitting smoking may make their loved one's mental health symptoms worse [10,11].…”

“…Many family members of smokers with mental illness are uncertain about the safety of cessation treatment for people with mental illness [10]. Additionally, family members have expressed beliefs that smoking helps people with mental illness cope with stress in their lives, and some family members are concerned that quitting smoking may make their loved one's mental health symptoms worse [10,11]. Such beliefs and concerns about smoking and mental illness will likely need to be addressed in order for support persons to effectively promote the use of cessation treatment among individuals with mental illness who smoke.…”

Association between family or peer views towards tobacco use and past 30-day smoking cessation among adults with mental health problems

“…People with mental health conditions misperceive smoking as an activity that helps with mental health symptom management. ( Aschbrenner et al, 2017b , Lawn et al, 2015 ) This belief is supported by family members or peers of people with mental health conditions, who incorrectly believe that quitting smoking may interfere with mental health functioning. ( Hyland et al, 2017 ) Such misconceptions about smoking and mental health likely create social spaces where smoking is acceptable or even encouraged.…”