The myth that quitting smoking is hard for mental health patients needs to be debunked, an Australian academic says.
Dr Sharon Lawn, of Flinders University in South Australia, says it is a "culturally entrenched myth" in the mental health sector that it is too hard for patients to quit smoking because of other challenges they face.
"People often think `life's tough enough already' for people with the experience of mental illness, so let's turn a blind eye to the smoking issue.
But helping people with mental illness quit smoking can be hugely beneficial," she said.
As people with mental illness could die up to 25 years earlier than others and were twice as likely to develop heart and respiratory disease, of which smoking was a "huge contributor", Dr Lawn believed more concern needed to be shown.
Quitting smoking not only had health benefits but, research said, it made people feel happier, more confident and gave them an improved quality of life.
Having written a review of international research on mental health inpatient facilities which went smokefree, Dr Lawn found positive results.
There were few reported increases of aggression, use of seclusion, discharges against medical advice or use of medication following smoking bans.
Cancer Society Tobacco Control adviser Belinda Keenan said it was estimated about one-third of people with experience of mental illness in New Zealand were smokers.
Otago District Health Board smokefree co-ordinator Mary O'Brien attended one of Dr Lawn's seminars held this month.
She said the board had introduced a programme to reach the recently introduced health target of providing 80% of all patients who smoke with advice and help to quit.
The board agreed with Dr Lawn about the importance of supporting patients with mental illnesses in their bid to stop smoking, and those patients were included in the programme.
Patients would be offered nicotine replacement therapy, which had been shown to double the chances of a successful quit attempt, and steps would be taken to continue treatment following their discharge by referring patients to their doctor, nurse or Quitline.
The board's mental health and community services group manager, Elaine Chisnall, believed if a smoking ban was introduced in mental health units in Otago, there would be "minor discomfort for patients" but "this should be able to be managed with nicotine replacement therapy".
The number of mental health patients who smoked could be as high as 50% "for those people who have chronic mental health illness and have been in the service for an extended time".
Smokers could obtain heavily subsidised nicotine replacement therapy from Quitline 0800-778778 or www.quit.org.nz or their doctor or nurse.
