Opinion of patients, family and professionals about smoking in a psychiatric care unit in a general hospital

• Grant number: 09/05907-9
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: August 01, 2009
• End date: July 31, 2011
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Medicine - Psychiatry
• Principal Investigator: Edson Arthur Scherer
• Grantee: Edson Arthur Scherer
• Host Institution: Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto da USP (HCMRP). Secretaria da Saúde (São Paulo - Estado). Ribeirão Preto , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Mentally ill patients are a group more vulnerable to smoking, as it can give a feeling of relief of the collateral effects of certain medications. These patients' feeling of abandonment, their hopelessness regarding recovery chances and their need of control tend to make them search for relief in tobacco. Idleness, common at psychiatric institutions, can contribute to patients smoking habits. This research project aims to know the opinion of patients, hospitalized at the Psychiatric nursing ward in the Hospital das Clínicas of the University of São Paulo at Ribeirão Preto Medical School (HC-FMRP-USP), family and health care team professionals about tobacco use in the hospital. The study will also research the degree of dependence of smokers in these groups. It is an exploratory-descriptive research, using qualitative and quantitative approach in a complementary way. The qualitative approach will catch meanings that are not perceived by the equations of the quantitative one. Data collection will be done through semi-structured interviews, with previously developed questions, and application of Fagerström questionnaire to smokers. A database will be developed for quantitative data analysis, firstly using Excel and then the same data will be analyzed in SPSS software. Qualitative data analysis will be done through content analysis. It is expected that results can support the development of researches and programs for prevention or even eradication of tobacco use in this service. (AU)