Jump to full article: Northwestern University, 2009-10-13
Author: Hans Villarica
Intro: Smoking addiction treatment should be included in the care plans for mentally ill patients with tobacco dependence.
Based on the new study, clinical psychologist and lead author Brian Hitsman, of Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, recommended an integrated care model to help mental health patients quit smoking. The method, combining drugs and psychological therapy, addresses the tobacco dependence of mentally ill smokers.
The review review appeared in a recent issue of the Canadian Journal of Psychiatry.
In this Q&A, Hitsman explained his recommended smoking cessation method and why mental health care professionals should consider it.
Q: Why did you decide to focus on the mentally ill for this tobacco addiction review?
A: Smokers with mental illness have been underserved when it comes to tobacco dependence treatments both clinically as well as in the tobacco addiction research field. They just haven’t gotten the attention. The thinking has been that they can’t quit and that if you get them in your clinical trial they won’t show up so what’s tended to happen is that this population has been excluded from treatments.
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