Smoking and environmental characteristics of smokers with a mental illness, and associations with quitting behaviour and motivation; a cross sectional study

Abstract

BackgroundPersons with a mental illness are less likely to be successful in attempts to quit smoking. A number of smoking and environmental characteristics have been shown to be related to quitting behaviour and motivation of smokers generally, however have been less studied among smokers with a mental illness. This study aimed to report the prevalence of smoking characteristics and a variety of physical and social environmental characteristics of smokers with a mental illness, and explore their association with quitting behaviour and motivation.MethodsA cross-sectional descriptive study was undertaken of 754 smokers admitted to four psychiatric inpatient facilities in Australia. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were undertaken to explore the association between smoking and environmental characteristics and recent quitting behaviour and motivation.ResultsParticipants were primarily daily smokers (93 %), consumed >10 cigarettes per day (74 %), and highly nicotine dependent (51 %). A third (32 %) lived in a house in which smoking was permitted, and 44 % lived with other smokers. The majority of participants believed that significant others (68–82 %) and health care providers (80–91 %) would be supportive of their quitting smoking. Reflecting previous research, the smoking characteristics examined were variously associated with quitting behaviour and motivation. Additionally, participants not living with other smokers were more likely to have quit for a longer duration (OR 2.02), and those perceiving their psychiatrist to be supportive of a quit attempt were more likely to have had more quit attempts in the past six months (OR 2.83).ConclusionsModifiable characteristics of the physical and social environment, and of smoking, should be considered in smoking cessation interventions for persons with a mental illness.

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Increases Nicotine Addiction Severity in Adults Seeking Treatment for Substance Use Disorders: The Role of Personality Disorders

“…Studies of cigarette smokers attempting to quit that are screened for mental health disorders show that around half of these smokers have at least one mental disorder, and two-thirds of those have more than one disorder [55]. Having multiple comorbid disorders increases the probability of smoking relapse and is associated to heavier smoking and a reduced likelihood of quitting smoking [56]. Furthermore, studies of adults with mental illnesses that estimate the prevalence of smoking show that smoking prevalence increases with the number of comorbid mental illnesses and that smokers with a mental disorder have lower success in quitting than smokers without mental illnesses [57] although there is solid evidence for the effectiveness of smoking cessation interventions for people even with severe mental disorders [58].…”

Individual, Social and Psychological Characteristics of Smoking Cessation Behaviors: A Systematic Review

“…In psychosocial characteristics, low educational background were more likely to currently smoke (Morimoto, 2010) but those who had tried to quit (Clark, 1998) and smokers that already motivated (by themselves and support others) to quit are more likely to stop smoking and remain abstinent than smokers with no such motivation (Metse, 2016;Osler & Prescott, 1998). One of strategy which smokers received advice from their family or who perceive the health risks are more likely to reach abstinent (Hammar & Carlsson, 2005).…”

“…Those who had tried to stop smoking were about twice as likely to think to quit, attempt to quit and actually quit smoking (Clark, 1998). Participants (with mental illness) who not living with other smokers and perceiving their health provider to be supportive was more likely to have quit for a longer duration (Metse, 2016). Osler and Prescott, (1998) reported smokers motivated to quit smoking are more likely to stop smoking and remain abstinent than smokers with no such motivation (Osler M and Prescott, 1998).…”

Pattern and correlates of tobacco smoking among mentally ill male patients in El-Mamoura Psychiatric Hospital, Alexandria, Egypt

“…The sociological perspective draws a strong association between low socioeconomic status and mental illness, with socioeconomic status being a risk factor for the uptake and continued use of tobacco [5] . Studies reporting both the prevalence of smoking and demographic and clinical characteristics of smokers with mental illness are scarce [32] . However, the few available studies revealed considerable controversy concerning sociodemographic determinants among this group.…”