Abstract
Introduction: Hospital admission provides opportunities for quit-smoking advice/support. Some inpatients also smoke cannabis, which causes bullous-emphysema, but prevalence is unknown. The study aimed to determine inpatient cannabis-smoking and to measure effectiveness of our quit-smoking service
Methods: Trainees/medical students carried out a single-day cross-sectional survey of adult inpatients, using standardised anonymous questionnaires, hospital notes and medication charts. Data was compared with previous surveys over five years.
Results: 184/223 inpatients were interviewed. Cigarette-smoking prevalence was 33/184 (18%); cannabis-smoking 12/184 (6.5%). 10/33 (30%) cigarette-smokers smoked cannabis. 544 patients were interviewed over 5 years:
Smoking Prevalence and Intervention Efficacy
Inpatient smoking prevalence and advice to stop smoking did not change (16±2% and 57±4% respectively). NRT prescription and cessation plan documentation increased to 44% and 35% respectively.
Conclusions: 1/5 inpatients smoke but < 60% were given quit smoking advice despite being an evidence-based, cost-effective intervention. 1/3 cigarette-smokers also smoked cannabis. Further studies should determine the impact on health of this high prevalence. Whilst NRT and cessation plans have increased, the latter is only provided to ∼40% of smokers. Further work needs to ensure effective interventions for all inpatient smokers.
- © 2011 ERS
