Abstract
Background: Individuals with serious mental illnesses experience deaths related to smoking at a higher prevalence than individuals without a serious mental illness. Traditional smoking cessation programs are often not effective among individuals with chronic mental disorders. Little is known about how to implement a tobacco cessation treatment programs for this at-risk population within a community health centers. The current study used qualitative methods to examine the factors that may enhance or impede the delivery of a novel tobacco cessation treatment for smokers with a psychotic-spectrum disorder diagnosis in an integrated care community health center. Methods: Using purposeful sampling, we conducted 22 semi-structured interviews with primary care providers, mental health providers, addiction counselors, case managers, intake specialists, schedulers, pharmacists, and administrative staff at employed at the organization. Interviews were transcribed and themes were identified through a rich coding process. Results: We identified environmental factors, organizational factors, provider factors and patient factors which describe the potential factors which may enhance or impede the implementation of a smoking cessation program at the integrated care community health center. Most notably we identified that community mental health centers looking to implement a smoking cessation program for individuals with chronic mental health disorders should ensure that the incentives for providers to participate align with the program’s objectives. Lastly, organizations should invest in educating providers to address stigma related to smoking cessation and nicotine use. Conclusions: The findings of our study provide valuable insight for administrators to consider when implementing a smoking cessation program in an integrated care community health center. Our findings provide public health practitioners with potential considerations that should be discussed when designing and implementing a smoking cessation program for individuals with chronic mental disorders.
An Evaluation of the Feasibility of Implementing a Novel Tobacco Dependence Treatment Program for High-risk Individuals Into Clinical Practice Within a Community Mental Health Center
