Smoking prevalence and correlates among inpatients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder

Abstract Many studies have shown that cigarette smoking prevalence rate is high in patients with schizophrenia. Despite the strong association between smoking and schizophrenia, findings on the relationships between smoking, psychiatric symptoms and cognitive functions remain mixed. Furthermore, the...

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Main Authors: Caili Wu, Paul Dagg, Carmen Molgat, Nataliya Grishin
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-05-01
Series:Scientific Reports
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-93256-2
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author Caili Wu
Paul Dagg
Carmen Molgat
Nataliya Grishin
author_facet Caili Wu
Paul Dagg
Carmen Molgat
Nataliya Grishin
author_sort Caili Wu
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Many studies have shown that cigarette smoking prevalence rate is high in patients with schizophrenia. Despite the strong association between smoking and schizophrenia, findings on the relationships between smoking, psychiatric symptoms and cognitive functions remain mixed. Furthermore, the smoking rate among acute inpatients who need tertiary mental health care is still unknown. In this study we investigated the smoking rate in this patient population and examined connections between smoking and cognitive functions, psychiatric symptoms, and clinical and demographic characteristics. A retrospective chart review of patients admitted to a tertiary acute psychiatric facility over a 7-year period was conducted. Information such as patient smoking status, diagnosis, and psychiatric assessment scores, were retrieved. Independent samples t-tests and Chi-squared tests were used to compare variables between smoker and non-smoker groups. The smoking prevalence rate was 72%, approximately four times the smoking rate in the general population in Canada. Compared to the non-smoker group, the smoker group were significantly younger, more likely to be male, had less years of education, shorter illness duration, higher rate of concurrent substance use disorder, and less days of hospital stay. However, the two groups did not show differences in severity of illness, types/numbers of medication used, positive and negative symptoms, and cognitive impairment. Smoking status appeared to be associated with several demographic and clinical features. Smoking did not significantly relate to patients’ illness severity, medication use, psychiatric symptoms, or cognitive functioning.
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spelling doaj-art-d72649d4152f4ffbaa4405eec286e5b92025-08-20T03:16:32ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-05-011511810.1038/s41598-025-93256-2Smoking prevalence and correlates among inpatients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorderCaili Wu0Paul Dagg1Carmen Molgat2Nataliya Grishin3Tertiary Mental Health & Substance Use Services, Interior Health AuthorityTertiary Mental Health & Substance Use Services, Interior Health AuthorityTertiary Mental Health & Substance Use Services, Interior Health AuthorityTertiary Mental Health & Substance Use Services, Interior Health AuthorityAbstract Many studies have shown that cigarette smoking prevalence rate is high in patients with schizophrenia. Despite the strong association between smoking and schizophrenia, findings on the relationships between smoking, psychiatric symptoms and cognitive functions remain mixed. Furthermore, the smoking rate among acute inpatients who need tertiary mental health care is still unknown. In this study we investigated the smoking rate in this patient population and examined connections between smoking and cognitive functions, psychiatric symptoms, and clinical and demographic characteristics. A retrospective chart review of patients admitted to a tertiary acute psychiatric facility over a 7-year period was conducted. Information such as patient smoking status, diagnosis, and psychiatric assessment scores, were retrieved. Independent samples t-tests and Chi-squared tests were used to compare variables between smoker and non-smoker groups. The smoking prevalence rate was 72%, approximately four times the smoking rate in the general population in Canada. Compared to the non-smoker group, the smoker group were significantly younger, more likely to be male, had less years of education, shorter illness duration, higher rate of concurrent substance use disorder, and less days of hospital stay. However, the two groups did not show differences in severity of illness, types/numbers of medication used, positive and negative symptoms, and cognitive impairment. Smoking status appeared to be associated with several demographic and clinical features. Smoking did not significantly relate to patients’ illness severity, medication use, psychiatric symptoms, or cognitive functioning.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-93256-2Cigarette smokingSchizophreniaSymptomsCognitive functionComorbid substance use disorderTertiary mental health care
spellingShingle Caili Wu
Paul Dagg
Carmen Molgat
Nataliya Grishin
Smoking prevalence and correlates among inpatients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder
Scientific Reports
Cigarette smoking
Schizophrenia
Symptoms
Cognitive function
Comorbid substance use disorder
Tertiary mental health care
title Smoking prevalence and correlates among inpatients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder
title_full Smoking prevalence and correlates among inpatients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder
title_fullStr Smoking prevalence and correlates among inpatients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder
title_full_unstemmed Smoking prevalence and correlates among inpatients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder
title_short Smoking prevalence and correlates among inpatients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder
title_sort smoking prevalence and correlates among inpatients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder
topic Cigarette smoking
Schizophrenia
Symptoms
Cognitive function
Comorbid substance use disorder
Tertiary mental health care
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-93256-2
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