Smoking cessation counseling among hospitalized smokers

The purposes of this study were (1) to describe how much smoking cessation counseling patients receive in a hospital with a nonsmoking policy and (2) to describe the attitudes of these smokers toward the nonsmoking policy. Forty-three (48%) of 89 eligible smokers hospitalized during a one-month period were surveyed by mail. Sixty-eight percent reported receiving, during hospitalization or at the time of discharge, at least one of nine counseling procedures related to smoking cessation. Forty-eight percent reported more than one counseling procedure. Less than 15% received information about symptoms of nicotine withdrawal, means of abstaining during hospitalization, means of permanently quitting, or medications for nicotine withdrawal symptoms during hospitalization. None of the patients had smoking cessation included in plans for future care upon hospital discharge. Only 24% strongly disagreed with the hospital's nonsmoking policy. We conclude that the mere institution of a nonsmoking hospital policy does not ensure that hospitalized smokers are adequately counseled regarding smoking cessation or that this counseling will be considered in discharge planning.