Smoking Reduction for Persons with Mental Illnesses: 6-Month Results from Community-Based Interventions

Abstract

Persons with mental illnesses use tobacco at significantly higher and heavier rates than the general population, and suffer greater tobacco- related morbidity and mortality. However, there are few existing tobacco cessation interventions for these individuals. This study examined two tobacco cessation interventions, a telephonic quitline intervention (counseling and nicotine replacement therapy) and a community-based group counseling intervention with adults currently receiving community mental health services. At 6-month follow-up, both groups demonstrated significantly reduced tobacco use, but participants who received both quitline services and the group counseling intervention were significantly more likely to have a 50% tobacco use reduction. Across groups, the overall intent-to-treat cessation rate was 7%. Tobacco dependence, depression symptoms, and psychotic symptoms decreased significantly for all treatment groups, while health and mental health functioning increased. Findings suggest that common community tobacco cessation services are effective for this population.

Promoting positive attitudes of tobacco-dependent mental health patients towards NRT-supported harm reduction and smoking cessation

“…This supports previous observations (R Bittoun, CP Mendelsohn, M Barone, data unpublished), extends previous studies (e.g. Ferguson et al, 2011;Morris et al, 2011), and signals a potential acceptability of NRTsupported harm reduction in smokers with mental illness. The self-reported smoking prevalence rate of 16% was unusually low, possibly reflecting underreporting or sample characteristics.…”

“…As such, NRT-supported harm reduction may be appropriate in mental health settings (Morris et al, 2011); however, the acceptability of such an approach in mental health patients is unknown. The present study assessed the effects of simple education on attitudes to NRT-supported harm reduction in tobacco-dependent mental health outpatients.…”

Cardiometabolic Health Nursing to Improve Health and Primary Care Access in Community Mental Health Consumers: Baseline Physical Health Outcomes from a Randomised Controlled Trial

“…Smoking cessation programs targeted specifically for people with SMI have previously shown to be effective, particularly when support is available, reporting cessation rates of between 10% and 30% (Baker et al, 2006;Morris et al, 2011). It would be expected that if sustained, smoking cessation may have a significant positive benefit on subsequent cardiometabolic health.…”

What carers of family members with mental illness say, think and do about their relative's smoking and the implications for health promotion and service delivery: a qualitative study

“…However, there is strong evidence that people with mental illness who smoke want to quit smoking and can quit with adequate supports (Ashton, Miller, Bowden & Bertossa, 2010;Solway, 2011). There is also now clear evidence that their mental health improves once they have quit smoking (Morris, Waxmonsky, May, Tinkelman, Dickinson, Giese, 2011;Shahab & West, 2009) and does not increase aggression towards others (NICE, 2013).…”