1. Evaluation of a totally smoke-free forensic psychiatry in-patient facility: practice and policy implications.
- Author
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Lawn, Sharon, Hehir, Angela, Indig, Devon, Prosser, Shani, Macleod, Shona, and Keller, Adrian
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SMOKING prevention , *SMOKING cessation , *ATTITUDE (Psychology) , *CHI-squared test , *CORRECTIONAL institutions , *DRUG addiction , *FOCUS groups , *FORENSIC psychiatry , *HEALTH facility administration , *MEDICAL care research , *MEDICAL personnel , *METROPOLITAN areas , *PEER pressure , *PSYCHIATRIC hospitals , *QUESTIONNAIRES , *SECURITY systems , *SMOKING , *STATISTICAL hypothesis testing , *DISEASE prevalence , *CROSS-sectional method , *DATA analysis software , *PATIENTS' attitudes , *PSYCHOLOGY - Abstract
Objective. To evaluate the impact of implementing a smoke-free policy in an Australian high-security forensic psychiatry in-patient hospital. Methods. Focus groups (n = 21) and surveys with both patients (n = 45) and staff (n = 111, 53.2% nurses) elicited participants' experience of and attitudes towards an introduced smoke-free policy. A follow-up survey elicited the impact of the policy on 15 patients' smoking practice after discharge. Results. Eighty-five per cent of patients stated it was easier to quit smoking when no one else smoked. Over half the discharged patients surveyed (58%) continued to not smoke after discharge, despite almost half the staff (41%) perceiving that patients were unlikely to quit long-term. Smoking staff were significantly more pessimistic than non-smoking staff. Many patients (69%) perceived that their health had improved as a result of not smoking. Most staff (80%) viewed nicotine dependence treatment as important, but fewer (66%) felt confident to support patients to stop smoking. Increased patient violence and management difficulties expected by staff were not realised. Conclusions. A smoke-free policy can be successfully implemented in forensic psychiatry in-patient units. Nursing staff are a large and important group who need particular support to implement a smoke-free policy into practice effectively, particularly those who are smokers. Continuity of care as part of a coordinated policy and service response is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2014
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