Researchers from the Tobacco Control Unit have identified factors associated with changes in smoking patterns during and after one month of hospital discharge among smokers. This work has been published in the International Journal of Nursing Scholarship.
The study included a representative cohort of adult smokers from four centres (2 in Catalonia and 2 in Portugal). It is observed that three out of four patients who smoke are abstinent during hospitalisation. Moreover, in Catalonia, smokers who tried to quit and were asked about their consumption presented a higher frequency of abstinence. After discharge, 50% of smokers remained smoke-free and those who continued smoking reduced their smoking by an average of 5 cigarettes per day. The study highlights how hospitalisation is a key time to encourage cessation and how supportive interventions at discharge are needed to maintain and promote abstinence.
Reference: Feliu A, Ravara S, Papadakis S, Enríquez M, Antón L, Saura J, Company A, Romero O, Ripoll R, Ruz A, Precioso J, Pascoal I, Videira L, Correia C, Ferreira S, Fernández E, Martínez C. Factores asociados a los cambios en el patrón de tabaquismo de los pacientes ingresados durante la hospitalización y un mes después del alta: Un estudio de cohortes. J Nurs Scholarsh. 2021 Nov 9. doi: 10.1111/jnu.12735. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 34755457. Enlace: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34755457/