Although tobacco consumption remains the leading cause of death and morbidity in the United States, the provision of tobacco dependence intervention during hospitalization remains low with less than 25% of hospitalized smokers in medical/surgical facilities receiving intervention assistance. Intervention could start by treating nicotine withdrawal symptoms by the patient's nurses and physicians. However, do these patients have nicotine withdrawal symptoms to treat? It is not clear from the literature whether nicotine withdrawal symptoms are readily noted by hospitalized smokers. The purpose of this study is to characterize the occurrence of nicotine withdrawal symptoms in hospitalized smokers participating in a smoking relapse prevention study. In this current study, 94% (47) of the patients enrolled thus far have reported experiencing at least one nicotine withdrawal symptom during their hospital admission. The report of experiencing nicotine withdrawal symptoms is not greater for those with a longer smoking history or higher daily cigarette consumption. At this time, those patients experiencing difficulty with constipation during their admission were more likely to report having a greater number of nicotine withdrawal symptoms (t = 2.6, df 48, p = .012). More data will be provided with the poster presentation since recruitment is currently ongoing. Thus far, data suggests that most hospitalized smokers report having nicotine withdrawal symptoms, but healthcare providers would be amiss if they relied upon smoking history and cigarette consumption rates to determine whether they should ask the patient if he/she is having difficulty with nicotine withdrawal symptoms during their admission. Furthermore, results suggest that hospitalized smokers do discern a difference in their symptoms and can acknowledge having nicotine withdrawal symptoms during their hospitalization. This information warrants nurses to ask their patients if they are having difficulty with nicotine withdrawal symptoms during their hospital admission and not to make assumptions based only upon history intake.
Back to Rising Stars of Scholarship and Research
Back to 37th Biennial Convention - Scientific Session
Sigma Theta Tau International