1351 – Second hand smoking (SHS) in an inpatient psychiatric unit

Abstract

In Greece, current legislation prohibits smoking in hospitals, but not in psychiatric units, that may be associated with significant Second Hand Smoking (SHS) adverse effects on nonsmoking patients/staff. To examine the extent of SHS, and investigate the attitude of the nursing staff regarding smoking in a psychiatric inpatients unit. 1 To measure objectively indoor air pollution using PM2.5 in the Psychiatric Inpatient Unit of the University General Hospital of Heraklion, Crete (PIU/UOC). 2 To investigate the attitude of the nursing staff towards the smoking permission in psychiatric units. Data on smoking were collected for all inpatients between Nov’12-Sept’12. Pollution levels in PIU/UOC due to SHS were recorded by using the TSI Sidepack device. Nursing staff from the psychiatric unit, and medical and surgical units completed a short Questionnaire including demographics, smoking habits and attitude about the existing legislation on smoking. Among 444 inpatients, 42% were non-smokers. Within the PIU/UOC, indoor pollution attributable to smoking, averaged 318 μgr/m3(range: 82–730 μg/m3). 295 nurses (mean age 39.6 ± 7.5 yrs) completed the questionnaire and only 31.2% disagreed with the existing legislation, whereas 64% responded that they wouldn’t avoid working in a psychiatric unit because of smoking permission. SHS concentrations within a psychiatric inpatient unit are comparable to those in bars, suggesting a detrimental effect on nonsmoking patients’/employees’ health. These results suggest the need to increase awareness among nursing staff of the adverse effects of SHS and to implement measures to decrease SHS’s impact on other patients/staff, i.e. nicotine patches