[Psychoeducational Smoking Cessation Groups in an Acute Psychiatry Ward].

BACKGROUND

In view of the high prevalence of dependent smokers in psychiatric inpatient facilities advice for smoking cessation seems crucial. Due to the relatively short duration of stay in acute psychiatric wards (in our facility < 2 weeks) there is a need for therapeutic concepts that link to outpatient settings. The transtheoretical model by "Prochaska and DiClemente" (TTM) seems suitable to create an appropriate therapeutic concept.

METHODS

At the department of adult psychiatry located at Tulln university hospital, Austria, psychoeducational groups for smoking cessation were conducted. Apart from the degree of dependence using Fagerström test for nicotine-dependence (FTND), 100 mm visual analogue scales (VAS) were utilized to evaluate the patients' motivation for quitting smoking (100 VAS: maximimum motivation), the presenting physician (100 VAS: best performance), the content (100 VAS: best content) and the comprehensibility (100 VAS: optimum understanding).

RESULTS

Out of 37 participants, the majority (89.2 %), showed a moderate to very strong nicotine dependence. The median motivation for smoking cessation was 56 VAS, the median change in motivation 67 VAS, the content 96 VAS, comprehensibility 94 VAS and presenter was rated with 95 VAS.

CONCLUSIONS

In general, patients showed high levels of nicotine dependence. The psychoeducational group was predominantly evaluated in a positive way. Individual change in motivation to quit smoking might correspond to a stage in the TTM making a collaboration with outpatient facilities inevitable.