Improving the smoking patterns in a general hospital psychiatric unit

Abstract

Objectives: The purpose of the present paper is to evaluate the effects of a smoking ban in a general hospital psychiatric unit. Methods: We study the effects of smoking ban in 40 consecutive psychiatric inpatients. The staff registered socio-demographic and tobacco-related variables. We also registered any kind of behavioral effects of smoking ban.Results: The patients were willing to stop smoking during their hospital stay (with or without nicotine replacement) with two mild behavioural incidences registered throughout the study. Conclusions: The benefits of non-smoking policy in a psychiatric unit can be significant. The introduction of smoking bans in psychiatric inpatients settings is possible and safe.

Keywords

• Tobacco
• Psychiatry unit
• Smoking ban
• Mental health
• Personal attitudes