Effectiveness of smoking cessation program using nicotine chewing gums and transdermal nicotine patches among patients with schizophrenia in Chennai City: An interventional study

Abstract

Background: Schizophrenia (SCH) is a common illness with lifetime risk of approximately one in 100 people. The most likely age of onset for men is the mid–20s, while for women, it is in the early 30s. Schizophrenic patients have higher rates of nicotine dependence. This study aims to compare the effectiveness of smoking cessation program using nicotine chewing gums and transdermal nicotine patches (TNPs) among schizophrenic patients in Chennai city. Methods: Participants were required to have a diagnosis of SCH in maintenance stage, who met diagnostic and statistical manual mental disorder-IV for SCH, to be at least 18 years old. The study participants were divided into two groups: Group A (10 participants) and Group B (10 participants). Nicotine chewing gums were administered to Group A participants, and TNPs were administered to Group B participants. Results: Among 20 participants, all the study participants were male with a mean age of 45.20 years. In this study, significant reduction on carbon monoxide level (mean difference – 3.2 ± 0.78) and number of cigarettes (mean difference – 4.11 ± 0.55) were noted on TNP trial (P < 0.64), and the significant difference on nicotine dependence was seen between groups (Group A and Group B) (P = 0.00). Conclusion: Even though the results of our study showed reduction in smoking, but not smoking cessation, still, a better understanding of the factors that lead to successful smoking cessation outcomes in smokers with SCH and other psychiatric disorders may lead to improvement in treatment plan.