Comparison of Perceptions and Smoking Cessation Experiences Between Smokers With and Without Serious Mental Illness in a Large Health Maintenance Organization

Background The high rates of smoking in adults with serious mental illness (SMI) increases risk for COVID-19 infection. The purpose of this paper is to present the results of a smoking cessation intervention that was adapted to be offered by phone during a Shelter in Place (SIP) period in San Francisco, California, at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods During the SIP, we offered counseling sessions by phone to five participants. At the end of each session, we assessed readiness to quit, tobacco cessation or reduction, and inquired about the impact of the shelter in place on smoking habits and mental health. Grounded theory guided data collection and analysis. Results The categories that emerged around barriers and facilitators for smoking cessation were COVID-19–related stressors, having purpose, structure and feelings of connections, and the importance of quitting aides for smoking cessation. Conclusion Offering telephone based smoking cessation counseling to adults with SMI while they shelter in place may improve their readiness to quit.

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E-cigarettes and vaping – a panacea or a bane to smoking in current times?

Australasian Psychiatry ◽

10.1177/1039856220950095 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 103985622095009

Author(s):

Guna Kanniah ◽

Shailesh Kumar ◽

Soumil Prasad

Keyword(s):

Mental Illness ◽

Smoking Cessation ◽

Serious Mental Illness ◽

Safety Profile ◽

Tobacco Industry ◽

Electronic Cigarettes ◽

Cigarette Use ◽

Nicotine Concentration ◽

The World

Objective: Use of electronic cigarettes has increased across the world in the last decade with heavy investment from the tobacco industry targeting younger population through well-designed marketing campaigns portraying e-cigarettes as harmless, less addictive and effective in smoking cessation while delivering higher nicotine concentration. The safety profile of e-cigarettes is reviewed in this paper. Conclusions: The safety of e-cigarettes and the chemicals they contain have not been evaluated rigorously. Emerging data suggest e-cigarette use could do severe harm. People with serious mental illness, already the highest nicotine consumers, could be exploited by the tobacco industry.

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Pharmacological and behavioural interventions to promote smoking cessation in adults with schizophrenia and bipolar disorders: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised trials

BMJ Open ◽

10.1136/bmjopen-2018-027389 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 9 (11) ◽

pp. e027389 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Robert Pearsall ◽

Daniel J Smith ◽

John R Geddes

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Mental Illness ◽

Smoking Cessation ◽

Serious Mental Illness ◽

Randomised Controlled Trials ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Public Health Problem ◽

Controlled Trials ◽

Major Public Health Problem ◽

Randomised Controlled

ObjectiveSmoking in people with serious mental illness is a major public health problem and contributes to significant levels of morbidity and mortality. The aim of the review was to systematically examine the efficacy of methods used to aid smoking cessation in people with serious mental illness.MethodA systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials to compare the effectiveness and safety of pharmacological and behavioural programmes for smoking cessation in people with serious mental illness. Electronic databases were searched for trials to July 2018. We used the Cochrane Collaboration’s tool for assessing the risk of bias.ResultsTwenty-eight randomised controlled trials were identified. Varenicline increased the likelihood of smoking cessation at both 3 months (risk ratio (RR) 3.56, 95% CI 1.82 to 6.96, p=0.0002) and at 6 months (RR 3.69, 95% CI 1.08 to 12.60, p=0.04). Bupropion was effective at 3 months (RR 3.96, 95% CI 1.86 to 8.40, p=0.0003), especially at a dose of 300 mg/day, but there was no evidence of effect at 6 months (RR 2.22, 95% CI 0.52 to 9.47, p=0.28). In one small study, nicotine therapy proved effective at increasing smoking cessation up to a period of 3 months. Bupropion used in conjunction with nicotine replacement therapy showed more effect than single use. Behavioural and bespoke interventions showed little overall benefit. Side effects were found to be low.ConclusionThe new information of this review was the effectiveness of varenicline for smoking cessation at both 3 and 6 months and the lack of evidence to support the use of both bupropion and nicotine products for sustained abstinence longer than 3 months. Overall, the review found relatively few studies in this population.

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Outcome from a Community-based Smoking Cessation Program for Persons with Serious Mental Illness

Community Mental Health Journal ◽

10.1007/s10597-007-9113-8 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 44 (3) ◽

pp. 187-194 ◽

Cited By ~ 21

Author(s):

Shawn R. Currie ◽

Jordyn Karltyn ◽

Debra Lussier ◽

Erin de Denus ◽

Diane Brown ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Illness ◽

Smoking Cessation ◽

Serious Mental Illness ◽

Smoking Cessation Program ◽

Community Based

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History and Correlates of Smoking Cessation Behaviors Among Smokers With Serious Mental Illness

Nicotine & Tobacco Research ◽

10.1093/ntr/ntz229 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 22 (9) ◽

pp. 1492-1499 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Su Fen Lubitz ◽

Alex Flitter ◽

E Paul Wileyto ◽

Douglas Ziedonis ◽

Nathaniel Stevens ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Illness ◽

Carbon Monoxide ◽

Smoking Cessation ◽

General Population ◽

Serious Mental Illness ◽

Smoking Cessation Counseling ◽

Smoking Cessation Advice ◽

Smoking Cessation Treatment ◽

Quit Attempt ◽

Quit Attempts

Abstract Introduction Individuals with serious mental illness (SMI) smoke at rates two to three times greater than the general population but are less likely to receive treatment. Increasing our understanding of correlates of smoking cessation behaviors in this group can guide intervention development. Aims and Methods Baseline data from an ongoing trial involving smokers with SMI (N = 482) were used to describe smoking cessation behaviors (ie, quit attempts, quit motivation, and smoking cessation treatment) and correlates of these behaviors (ie, demographics, attitudinal and systems-related variables). Results Forty-three percent of the sample did not report making a quit attempt in the last year, but 44% reported making one to six quit attempts; 43% and 20%, respectively, reported wanting to quit within the next 6 months or the next 30 days. Sixty-one percent used a smoking cessation medication during their quit attempt, while 13% utilized counseling. More quit attempts were associated with lower nicotine dependence and carbon monoxide and greater beliefs about the harms of smoking. Greater quit motivation was associated with lower carbon monoxide, minority race, benefits of cessation counseling, and importance of counseling within the clinic. A greater likelihood of using smoking cessation medications was associated with being female, smoking more cigarettes, and receiving smoking cessation advice. A greater likelihood of using smoking cessation counseling was associated with being male, greater academic achievement, and receiving smoking cessation advice. Conclusions Many smokers with SMI are engaged in efforts to quit smoking. Measures of smoking cessation behavior are associated with tobacco use indicators, beliefs about smoking, race and gender, and receiving cessation advice. Implications Consideration of factors related to cessation behaviors among smokers with SMI continues to be warranted, due to their high smoking rates compared to the general population. Increasing our understanding of these predictive characteristics can help promote higher engagement in evidence-based smoking cessation treatments among this subpopulation.

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