[What patients think about the living together of smokers and non-smokers on psychiatric wards?].

ISSUE

The results of an inquiry about the difficulties of companionship between smokers and non-smokers in psychiatric wards are presented.

METHOD

Patients stated at the end of their treatment in a routine inquiry, by now focused on the issue of smoking, how they felt about the organization of their living together within the wards. Smokers have been additionally asked whether they would have preferred to be abstinent of tobacco and whether they missed supplementary therapy offers.

RESULTS

About 70 per cent of the patients were smokers. The arrangement, giving permission to smoking in just one room of the ward, was agreed more or less by smokers and non-smokers. 30 per cent of the non-smokers would apply for a non-smoking ward. About 40 per cent of the smokers would prefer to stop smoking and missed suitable therapeutical offers.

CONCLUSION

Restriction to just one room for smokers in each ward is accepted by smokers and non-smokers. A therapeutical offer to withdrawing from tobacco should figure among the routine offers of each hospital.