A randomised controlled trial linking mental health inpatients to community smoking cessation supports: preliminary findings and discussion

Aim: The aim of this study was to examine the effectiveness of linking inpatient nicotine dependence treatment to ongoing community-based smoking cessation support for smokers with a mental illness. Research Design: The study employed a single-site, randomised controlled trial design. Context: The study was conducted at a large, regional adult acute inpatient mental health facility in the Hunter New England region of NSW. Participants: Participants were 205 smokers who were patients of the inpatient mental health facility from May 2010 to May 2011. Interventions: Participants were randomised to either routine hospital smoking care only (n=101) or a multimodal smoking cessation intervention (n=104), incorporating a brief motivational interview in the inpatient setting and options of ongoing smoking cessation support post discharge, nicotine replacement therapy; referral to Quitline; smoking cessation support groups and fortnightly telephone support. Main Outcome Measure: Outcome data, including cigarettes smoked per day, quit attempts, and self-reported seven-day point prevalence abstinence, were collected via blind interview at one, eight, 16 and 24 weeks post discharge. Results: While data analysis is still in the preliminary stages, results are encouraging, with trends suggesting that by 24 weeks post-discharge, participants in the intervention condition (relative to controls) are: smoking fewer cigarettes per day (M = 11. 5, vs. M = 18. 1) ; spending less on cigarettes per week (M = $45. 60 vs. M = $72. 50) ; and more likely to have made a quit attempt (56. 3% vs. 22. 4%). Conclusion: A multimodal smoking cessation intervention, linking mental health inpatients to community cessation supports may be effective in reducing smoking among this population.