Comparing perceptions of smoking cessation care delivery between addiction care and mental healthcare workers

Many individuals with psychiatric disorders, including substance use disorders, smoke. Healthcare providers (HCPs) have an important role in smoking cessation care (SCC). This study examined perceptions of SCC among HCPs working in addiction and mental healthcare, and explored whether HCPs’ smoking status was related to these perceptions. In this cross-sectional study, we combined data of two Dutch surveys among 578 addiction and 231 mental HCPs. Data were analysed using t-tests, Mann-Whitney tests, one-way ANOVAs and Kruskal-Wallis tests using SPSS software. Compared to mental HCPs, addiction HCPs had stronger beliefs that smoking cessation would worsen psychological problems and that smoking and quitting are the client’s choice. They reported better knowledge and skills, stronger role identity, more time available, and more positive outcome expectations. HCPs who smoke reported relatively strong perceptions that smoking is someone’s own choice, and those who quit reported relatively strong knowledge and skills. HCPs who never smoked were relatively positive towards smoke-free organisations. The results suggest that distinct opportunities and challenges exist for improving SCC, based on setting and HCP smoking status.