Regarding two June 4 articles “Mind, body, balance” and “Guiding nurses into mental health” (Nurse.com/Article/MindBody and Nurse.com/Article/MindGuidance), individuals with mental illness die 15 to 25 years earlier than those without mental illness. This increase in mortality is caused primarily by tobacco-related illness.
Forty-four percent of all cigarettes sold in the U.S. are sold to people with mental illness. Prevalence of smoking among people who suffer from bipolar disorder or schizophrenia is about 60% to 80%.
Immediately providing these patients with tobacco cessation medications in the ED will have a calming effect and reduce cravings and other withdrawal symptoms. In the long term, assisting individuals with mental illness to quit will improve their physical health, decrease morbidity and mortality, and save them thousands of dollars.
— Patricia Folan, RN, MS
Westbury, N.Y.
Forty-four percent of all cigarettes sold in the U.S. are sold to people with mental illness. Prevalence of smoking among people who suffer from bipolar disorder or schizophrenia is about 60% to 80%.
Immediately providing these patients with tobacco cessation medications in the ED will have a calming effect and reduce cravings and other withdrawal symptoms. In the long term, assisting individuals with mental illness to quit will improve their physical health, decrease morbidity and mortality, and save them thousands of dollars.
— Patricia Folan, RN, MS
Westbury, N.Y.
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