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Urging the alcoholic client to quit smoking cigarettes
Addictive Behaviors
|January 1, 1983
Summary
This study found that alcohol treatment professionals prefer encouraging smoking cessation one year after sobriety begins. However, staff who are also smokers and alcoholics are less likely to promote quitting smoking.
Area of Science:
- Addiction Medicine
- Public Health
- Behavioral Science
Background:
- Cigarette smoking is strongly linked to alcohol abuse.
- Limited research exists on smoking cessation strategies for individuals with alcoholism.
- Addressing this gap is crucial for comprehensive addiction treatment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify preferred timing for encouraging smoking cessation among alcohol-dependent individuals.
- To explore how treatment staff's personal substance use status influences their approach to smoking cessation interventions.
Main Methods:
- Surveyed 311 alcohol treatment professionals across 23 inpatient facilities in Washington state.
- Professionals indicated preferred and personally encouraged times for smoking cessation interventions.
- Responses were analyzed based on staff's self-reported alcohol and smoking status.
Main Results:
- The most favored time point for encouraging smoking cessation was one year after achieving sobriety.
- Treatment staff who identified as both alcoholics and smokers were significantly less likely to advocate for smoking cessation compared to non-alcoholic, non-smokers.
Conclusions:
- Timing interventions for smoking cessation is important in alcohol treatment settings.
- Personal substance use characteristics of healthcare providers may impact their engagement in promoting cessation for patients.
- Further research is needed to understand and overcome barriers to promoting smoking cessation among alcohol-dependent populations.