Abstract
Aims and MethodThe aim of this survey was to examine staff views on smoking at work in a large psychiatric hospital. A postal questionnaire was sent to all clinical staff (n=1471) asking about their smoking habits and attitudes to smoking at work.ResultsThe response rate was 40.7%. Overall, 22.0% of respondents were smokers, with unqualified nursing staff having the highest rate (31.0%). The majority of staff did not favour a total ban on smoking by staff, patients or visitors. Smoking habit and profession influenced responses. Smokers and nurses were more permissive in their attitude towards smoking on wards than non-smokers and psychiatrists.Clinical ImplicationsImplementation of the government's recommendations on tobacco control in psychiatric units is likely to require considerable preparatory work with staff to ensure full compliance.
Highlights
In January 2003, all clinical staff of St Andrew’s Hospital were sent a postal questionnaire asking about their smoking habits and attitudes towards smoking at work
In this survey the majority of staff recognised the risks of tobacco smoke, but most did not favour a total ban on smoking by staff, patients or visitors
Most believed that if patients could not have cigarettes their behaviour would deteriorate. This is an important point, given that many of the patients have a history of criminal offending and exhibit severe behavioural disturbance
Summary
Smokers and nurses were more permissive in their attitude towards smoking on wards than nonsmokers and psychiatrists. The prevalence of smoking in psychiatric patients is much higher than the rate of 27% found in the UK general population. One study found that psychiatric nurses had a smoking prevalence rate twice that of other nurses (Gubbay, 1992). An Israeli study reported higher rates of smoking among psychiatric unit staff than in the general population (Mester et al, 1993). In the UK, many psychiatric units permit patients (and sometimes staff) to smoke in designated areas, but central policy requires health care trusts to move towards being smoke-free (Health Development Agency, 2001). The aim of this survey was to explore staff attitudes towards smoking in a large psychiatric hospital. Our hypothesis was that smokers would have different views from non-smokers, and that psychiatrists would have different views from nurses
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