Attitudes of patients and staff towards treating tobacco dependence in substance abuse treatment at the San Francisco VA Medical Center

This study assessed the attitudes of patients and staff towards treating tobacco dependence in substance abuse treatment at the San Francisco VA Medical Center (SFVAMC). The primary objective of this study was to assess whether patients and staff think that tobacco dependence should be treated in substance abuse treatment. The second objective was to assess at what point in substance abuse treatment patients and staff think it is most appropriate to treat tobacco dependence.; Self-report questionnaires were collected from patients and staff members at the SFVAMC. Ninety-nine (93.4%) patients and 12 (52.2%) staff members reported smoking cigarettes at some point in their life. Sixty-three (63.0%) patients reported being current smokers but none of the staff members reported being current smokers.; Out of 95 patients, only 6 (6.3%) reported that they, "Don't think that tobacco dependence should be treated in substance abuse treatment" while the other 89 (93.7%) indicated a specific time in which they felt tobacco dependence should be treated. Out of 23 staff members, only 1 (4.3%) reported that they, "Don't think that tobacco dependence should be treated in substance abuse treatment" while 21 (91.3%) reported "yes" they think it should be treated and 1(4.3%) indicated "possibly" it should be treated. It was hypothesized that both patients and staff would recommend that treatment for tobacco dependence be postponed 6 months--1 year into substance abuse treatment. Results found that 18 (18.9%) patients indicated 6 months--1 year compared to 30 (31.6%) patients who indicated 0--3 months. Nine (41.0%) staff members indicated 6 months--1 year compared to 4 (18.2%) staff members who indicated 0--3 months.; The results of this study found that both patients and staff feel that tobacco dependence should be treated in substance abuse treatment. The difference lies in when patients and staff think tobacco dependence should be treated. Staff may find that they are postponing treatment because they do not think that patients are ready, when in fact, patients are ready earlier than predicted. Whether or not this is influencing how staff are treating patients for their dependence on tobacco is still unclear and warrants future research.