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Cigarette smoking in long-term schizophrenia.

Salokangas RK, Honkonen T, Stengård E, Koivisto AM, Hietala J

Department of Psychiatry, University of Turku Psychiatric Clinic, Turku University Central Hospital, 20520 Turku, Finland. Kaimo.K.R.Salokangas@tyks.fi

PURPOSE: Cigarette smoking is a great health problem and prevalent among subjects with schizophrenia. Our aim was to investigate the prevalence and associations of cigarette smoking in patients with long-term schizophrenia. METHODS: Seven hundred and sixty schizophrenia patients were interviewed and their cigarette smoking was recorded. RESULTS: Smoking was more prevalent men than in women patients. In logistic regression analysis, male gender, duration of illness (DUI) from 10 to 19 years, being divorced or separated, lower education and high daily doses of neuroleptics (DDN) associated significantly with regular smoking. Heavy smoking associated, in men, with hospital treatment. CONCLUSIONS: In schizophrenia patients, smoking is associated with long DUI, high DDN and institutional care. Interventions for cessation and/or reduction of cigarette smoking should be a part of the treatment for patients with schizophrenia.

Published 3 July 2006 in Eur Psychiatry, 21(4): 219-23.
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