The impact of the NHS smoking ban on psychiatric patients who smoke

• Research type

  Research Study

• Full title

  The behavioural impact of the NHS Smoke-free policy on hospitalised psychiatric patients who smoke.\n

• IRAS ID

  234365

• Contact name

  Jane Bray

• Sponsor organisation

  NHS Tayside Health Board

• Duration of Study in the UK

  0 years, 6 months, 1 days

• Research summary

  Smoking is the largest single cause of preventable illness and premature death in the U.K. (Department of Health, 2006). Whilst smoking rates in the U.K. have declined in the general population, comparable decreases have not been realised among smokers with psychiatric illness. Smokers with mental health problems smoke more heavily, are more nicotine-dependent and have typically smoked for longer than smokers in the general population (Kumari & Postman, 2005).\n\nNew guidance from the Scottish Government details that the exclusion of mental health services from NHS smoke-free grounds policy is to be lifted as part of the implementation of the Health (Tobaccoo, Nicotine and Care)(Scotland) Act, 2016. In late 2017 NHS Tayside psychiatric hospitals were required to go entirely smoke-free. Historically, NHS Tayside mental health services have implemented a partial ban, banning smoking in enclosed indoor spaces.\n\nQualitative interview data will be analysed thematically and used to inform the design and piloting of a smoking cessation intervention for psychiatric patients that meets their biopsychosocial needs.\n\nThe proposed study aims to assess the impact of the NHS Tayside Smoke-free policy extension to a psychiatric hospital by undertaking a series of 20-30 1:1 in depth, semi-structured interviews with smokers hospitalised for clinical psychiatric disorders.\n\nIt aims to answer the following question: What are the evaluative beliefs and behavioural responses to the smoking ban of acute psychiatric patients who smoke, including their preferred coping strategies and use of pharmacological and non-pharmacological therapies?\n\n

• REC name

  North of Scotland Research Ethics Committee 1

• REC reference

  18/NS/0019

• Date of REC Opinion

  27 Feb 2018

• REC opinion

  Favourable Opinion