Evaluation of Smoking Cessation Advice in a Maltese Mental Health Community Clinic

Introduction Tobacco smoking is one of the leading causes of preventable morbidity and mortality worldwide (WHO, 2020). Smoking cessation campaigns have been effective at reducing smoking in the general population, but not in individuals with mental illness (Lê Cook et al., 2014). A downward trend...

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Main Authors: N. Cortis, A. Pace, G. Grech
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Cambridge University Press 2022-06-01
Series:European Psychiatry
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0924933822007143/type/journal_article
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author N. Cortis
A. Pace
G. Grech
author_facet N. Cortis
A. Pace
G. Grech
author_sort N. Cortis
collection DOAJ
description Introduction Tobacco smoking is one of the leading causes of preventable morbidity and mortality worldwide (WHO, 2020). Smoking cessation campaigns have been effective at reducing smoking in the general population, but not in individuals with mental illness (Lê Cook et al., 2014). A downward trend in smoking has been noted in EU countries but smoking rates have remained stable in Malta (Country Health Profile, 2019). Objectives This audit aims to assess smoking status, provision of smoking cessation advice and psychotropic dose adjustment depending on smoking status by the Bormla Mental Health Team. Methods Patient health records were reviewed for patient demographics, psychiatric diagnosis, medical co-morbidities, smoking status and cessation advice and changes in psychiatric medication according to smoking status. Results Of the 171 patients studied, 35% (n=61) were smokers, 33% (n=58) were non-smokers while in 30% (n=52) the smoking status was undocumented. Smokers had a mean age of 50 years with an almost equal gender distribution (49% (n=30) male and 51% (n=31) female). The most common documented psychiatric diagnoses were depression (52.5% (n=32)) and anxiety (34.5% (n=21)), while 59% (n=36) had documented medical co-morbidities. Only 14% (n=9) where given smoking cessation advice and one patient was referred to the smoking cessation clinic. One third of smokers (n=20) were prescribed psychotropic medications which are affected by smoking status but only two patients had their doses adjusted. Conclusions Improved smoking cessation advice, referral to services, consideration of smoking cessation while prescribing and documentation are need to better patient care. Disclosure No significant relationships.
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spelling doaj.art-d35ea2c434f547e18f73edbd4c940e2b2023-11-17T05:08:23ZengCambridge University PressEuropean Psychiatry0924-93381778-35852022-06-0165S279S27910.1192/j.eurpsy.2022.714Evaluation of Smoking Cessation Advice in a Maltese Mental Health Community ClinicN. Cortis0A. Pace1G. Grech2Mount Carmel Hospital, Psychiatry, Attard, MaltaMount Carmel Hospital, Psychiatry, Attard, MaltaMount Carmel Hospital, Mount Carmel Hospital, Attard, Malta Introduction Tobacco smoking is one of the leading causes of preventable morbidity and mortality worldwide (WHO, 2020). Smoking cessation campaigns have been effective at reducing smoking in the general population, but not in individuals with mental illness (Lê Cook et al., 2014). A downward trend in smoking has been noted in EU countries but smoking rates have remained stable in Malta (Country Health Profile, 2019). Objectives This audit aims to assess smoking status, provision of smoking cessation advice and psychotropic dose adjustment depending on smoking status by the Bormla Mental Health Team. Methods Patient health records were reviewed for patient demographics, psychiatric diagnosis, medical co-morbidities, smoking status and cessation advice and changes in psychiatric medication according to smoking status. Results Of the 171 patients studied, 35% (n=61) were smokers, 33% (n=58) were non-smokers while in 30% (n=52) the smoking status was undocumented. Smokers had a mean age of 50 years with an almost equal gender distribution (49% (n=30) male and 51% (n=31) female). The most common documented psychiatric diagnoses were depression (52.5% (n=32)) and anxiety (34.5% (n=21)), while 59% (n=36) had documented medical co-morbidities. Only 14% (n=9) where given smoking cessation advice and one patient was referred to the smoking cessation clinic. One third of smokers (n=20) were prescribed psychotropic medications which are affected by smoking status but only two patients had their doses adjusted. Conclusions Improved smoking cessation advice, referral to services, consideration of smoking cessation while prescribing and documentation are need to better patient care. Disclosure No significant relationships. https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0924933822007143/type/journal_articleCessationAdvicesmoking
spellingShingle N. Cortis
A. Pace
G. Grech
Evaluation of Smoking Cessation Advice in a Maltese Mental Health Community Clinic
European Psychiatry
Cessation
Advice
smoking
title Evaluation of Smoking Cessation Advice in a Maltese Mental Health Community Clinic
title_full Evaluation of Smoking Cessation Advice in a Maltese Mental Health Community Clinic
title_fullStr Evaluation of Smoking Cessation Advice in a Maltese Mental Health Community Clinic
title_full_unstemmed Evaluation of Smoking Cessation Advice in a Maltese Mental Health Community Clinic
title_short Evaluation of Smoking Cessation Advice in a Maltese Mental Health Community Clinic
title_sort evaluation of smoking cessation advice in a maltese mental health community clinic
topic Cessation
Advice
smoking
url https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0924933822007143/type/journal_article
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