Dr Kate Bartlem, Prof Jenny Bowman and Prof John Wiggers
Presenter(s)
Dr Kate Bartlem Research Fellow, School of Psychology, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia
Abstract
Background:
People who have a mental illness experience a disproportionately high burden of smoking related disease. Mental health clinicians report a perception of client disinterest in addressing their smoking as a barrier to providing smoking related care, but little research has actually examined such client attitudes. This paper examines the smoking characteristics, interest in quitting, and acceptability of receiving tobacco related care from mental health service providers among mental health consumers.
Methods:
Two surveys were undertaken within one local health district Australia: one amongst 558 clients of community mental health services, and one amongst 2,075 inpatients from psychiatric units.
Results:
Smoking prevalence was high amongst both service groups (51% community; 62% inpatient). In both service types, 65% of participants were interested in quitting or reducing their smoking, and between 80% and 96% reporting it would be acceptable to receive smoking related care during contact with their mental health service.
Discussion:
Clients of community mental health and inpatient psychiatric services report a high level of interest in reducing smoking or quitting, and in receiving smoking related care from their mental health service. These findings reinforce the need and the opportunity for mental health services to address smoking with their clients.
Source of funding: This research received funding from the National Health and Medical Research Council, and infrastructure support from the University of Newcastle, the Hunter Medical Research Institute, and Hunter New England Population Health.
Declaration of interest: The authors have no conflicts of interest.
