Prevalence of Cigarette Smoking in Schizophrenic Patients Compared to Other Hospital Admitted Psychiatric Patients

Abstract Background: This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of cigarette smoking and some of the related factors among schizophrenic and other hospitalized psychiatric patients. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study on ۱۲۰ patients hospitalized in Shahid Beheshti hospital in Kerman in ۲۰۰۵. Patients were equally devided in two groups of schizophrenia and other psychiatric disorders. Sampling was based on statistical census and data were collected using a questionnaire including ۲۷ questions on demographic data, psychiatric disorder, smoking cigarettes and other substances, and Fagerstrom test. Data were analyzed by Chi-square and ANOVA tests using SPSS software. Findings: Prevalence and severity of cigarette smoking was ۷۱.۶% and ۶.۴۷% among schizophrenic and ۵۱.۶% and ۶.۴۰% among other psychiatric patients, respectively and the difference was not significant. History of withdrawal was ۲۵.۶% and ۵۸.۱% in the schizophrenia and other disorders respectively and the difference was significant (P < ۰.۰۵). Addiction to other substances was ۵۱.۶% in schizophrenic and ۴۵% in the other patients and the most prevalent substances in both groups were opium and alcohol. The severity of smoking cigarettes was ۶.۹ along with other drug abuses and ۵.۱ in cases with just smoking based on Fagerstrom test and the difference was significant (P < ۰.۰۵). Conclusion: The prevalence of cigarette smoking in both schizophrenia and other psychiatric patients is higher than normal population, but there is no significant difference between these two groups. Schizophrenic patients need persistent supportive and supervising programs for cigarette smoking abuse treatment because of their cognitive, motivate and social problems. Keywords: Cigarettes, Schizophrenia, Psychiatric disorders