Staff perspectives on smoking cessation treatment in German psychiatric hospitals

Abstract

Aim: Although people with mental illness show a greater severity of nicotine dependence and have a significantly reduced life expectancy because of it, psychiatric staff rarely offer their patients smoking cessation support and are reluctant to encourage patients to quit. In order to improve smoking cessation treatment for psychiatric patients, such staff resistance must be better understood. Subjects and methods: A total of 448 members of staff in eight psychiatric units in Berlin were surveyed in relation to their attitudes towards smoking cessation. Results: Although most participants recognize the importance of smoking cessation in psychiatric patients, they state that they do not adhere to international guidelines which recommend regularly asking patients about their smoking habits and offering cessation support. Staff have little knowledge about how to facilitate smoking cessation treatment and about the influences of smoking on the metabolism of drugs. They also harbor misconceptions about how smoking affects their patients’ mental well-being. Many express concern that a quit attempt might thwart psychiatric treatment and lead to aggressive behavior—assumptions unsupported by scientific evidence. The overwhelming majority does not believe it to be realistic that patients can manage to give up smoking during treatment. Conclusions: Staff training should be directed to heighten awareness of the international guidelines and treatment options for smoking cessation and impart knowledge on how smoking impacts both the physical and mental health of psychiatric patients.