Based on anecdotal clinical reports about the high prevalence of tobacco dependence in psychiatric inpatients, the Psychiatric Services of Hospital de Clinicas of Porto Alegre requested a study to ascertain its prevalence. Three consecutive censuses were developed, each 30 days apart, with a total of 103 in-patients, utilizing the Fagerström questionnaire for tobacco dependence to ascertain the severity of nicotine dependence. The prevalences found were 46.7% , 54.3 % and 38.9% , respectively, in the three consecutive samples (p>0.05). Dependence was categorized as severe in approximately 50% of all smokers in the three censuses. The high prevalence of nicotine dependence and the highest severity of dependence among the psychiatric patients confirms literature data and justifies interventions aimed at minimizing withdrawal symptoms - which may be confounded with symptoms of the psychiatric primary diagnosis - in patients hospitalized for psychiatric disorders.
Tobacco dependence; prevalence; comorbidity
