An Online Survey of Family Members' Beliefs and Attitudes About Smoking and Mental Illness.

OBJECTIVE

Family beliefs about smoking and cessation may influence whether individuals with mental illness who smoke use effective cessation treatment. We surveyed family members online regarding beliefs about smoking and cessation among people with mental illness. Method: Two hundred fifty-six family members of individuals with mental illness completed an online survey. Responses were summarized and t tests were used to compare responses based on the family member's smoking status.

RESULTS

One-quarter of respondents agreed that people with mental illness must smoke to manage mental health symptoms, nearly half (48%) expressed uncertainty about the whether nicotine replacement therapy is harmful for this population, and 69% believed that family members do not have the skills to help an individual with mental illness quit smoking.

CONCLUSIONS

Misconceptions about smoking and mental illness and uncertainty about the safety of cessation treatment may interfere with family support for quitting smoking among people with mental illness.