Cigarette smoking and interest in quitting among consumers at a Psychiatric Disability Rehabilitation and Support Service in Victoria

Abstract

Objective: To gather information on smoking rates and interest in smoking cessation among consumers at a Psychiatric Disability Rehabilitation and Support Service (PDRSS).

Method: A questionnaire was offered to all consumers at Neami Victoria by support staff in March 2007. Two hundred and eighty people (81%) completed the survey. Relationships between categorical variables were analysed using Fischer's exact test (p=0.05).

Results: Sixty-two per cent of consumers were smokers. Twelve per cent had previously quit smoking. PDRS consumers smoked 50% more than the general population and high rates (17%) of illegal tobacco smoking were identified. Fifty-nine per cent of smokers wanted to quit while 74% wanted to reduce.

Conclusions: While smoking rates were almost four times higher than the general population, interest in quitting and cutting down was also high.

Implications: Opportunities exist for public health advocates to collaborate with PDRSSs to increase knowledge related to smoking harms, and to reduce smoking in this group.