Efficacy, Acceptability, and Feasibility of StayQuit for Sustaining Smoking Abstinence After Psychiatric Hospitalization: A Pilot Study

Purpose: Veterans with mental illness have high rates of tobacco use and psychiatric hospitalization in the Veterans Health Administration (VA). VA is smoke-free, and guidelines recommend that smoking cessation medication and counseling be delivered during and one month after hospitalization to sustain abstinence. Little is known about how patients experience this intervention. This pilot study evaluated the acceptability, feasibility, and efficacy of an evidence-informed, novel smoking intervention, StayQuit, for psychiatric inpatients. Methods: Participants were recruited from an inpatient VA psychiatric unit. Changes in self-reported cigarettes smoked per day, nicotine dependence, and abstinence self-efficacy were evaluated between baseline and 12-week follow up. Participants were interviewed about their experiences. Results: = 26) was predominantly white, male, and diagnosed with a depressive disorder. Fifteen (58%) participants completed at least one counseling session and the follow-up assessment. Among them, there was a statistically significant reduction in mean cigarettes smoked per day and increase in abstinence self-efficacy. Participants appreciated the knowledge and supportiveness of interventionists and reported that StayQuit helped them make progress towards their smoking goals. Conclusions: Evidence-informed interventions like StayQuit are acceptable to Veterans, but implementation-focused research is needed to maximize feasibility in real-world settings.