Those suffering from mental illness in Australia tend to smoke four times more as compared to the general population according to study conducted by researchers from Melbourne University.
The study highlighted in the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health claims that despite smoking rates having coming down almost by 50% there has been no significant change in the smoking rates among smokers having psychiatric disabilities.
Study author, Kristen Moeller-Saxone, belonging to the Melbourne University’s School of Public Health says that smoking rates continued to be high among those who wanted to quit or reduce smoking.
Ms. Moeller- Saxone had surveyed 280 clients from a psychiatric support service, most of whom had schizoprehnia in the northern suburb of Melbourne.
It was observed in the study that more than six out of 10 ( i.e. 62% ) surveyed smoked as compared to lesser than two (16 %) in the case of general population. It was also observed that:
- The heavy smokers smoked 80 cigarettes per day.
- Smokers suffering from mental illnesses smoked 50 per cent more cigarettes than the general population, which is around 22 cigarettes per day.
- About 3 out of 5 ( 59%) wanted to give up smoking.
- One out of 10 (12 %) had been able to give up smoking.
- Three-quarters (74%) favored cutting down the number of cigarettes being smoked.
- Smokers suffering from mental illnesses were likely to take illegal tobacco.
The study according to Ms. Moeller Saxone was indicative of specialist services being required to help those suffering from mental illnesses to quit smoking.
The biggest cause of death among mentally ill patients was cardio-vascular disease. Also the mentally- ill patients spent much of their income on smoking.
Ms. Moeller —Saxone is of the view that the government has made little effort in ensuring that mentally ill smokers smoked less. She felt that it would better to encourage mentally ill patients to give up smoking gradually, rather than to quit immediately.
