There is a heavy burden of physical health comorbidity in people with schizophrenia, and it is estimated that such individuals die on average 10-15 years younger than they should, largely because of tobacco related diseases.
Reports suggest tobacco smoking is highly prevalent amongst people with schizophrenia, up to 70% in some clinical settings. Public health initiatives that have resulted in a reduction in smoking amongst the general public, have had no to little impact on rates in people with schizophrenia. The reasons for smoking amongst people with schizophrenia are complex but encompass social parameters, reward brain pathways and effects on core symptoms of schizophrenia, including negative and cognitive symptoms.
This Research Topic will outline the extent of tobacco smoking in people with schizophrenia; interrogate why rates remain so high; and suggest ways in which this issue could be better managed.
The Research Topic will outline studies of people with schizophrenia and related disorders, assessing their attitudes to physical health issues, including smoking; and outline a series of studies assessing the efficacy of healthy lifestyle interventions aimed at reducing smoking and cardiovascular risk in people with schizophrenia.
Particular attention will be given to the ways in which people with schizophrenia can be better engaged in a discussion about smoking cessation, motivating them to quit and using psychological and pharmacological interventions to aid quitting. The controversial issue of e-cigarettes will be discussed with particular reference to cigarettes.
The editors welcome articles which provide succinct updates on the key topic areas outlined in the article list, below. Authors should be writing to a professional audience who might or might not have specific expertise in the topic area, but who come from disciplines and/or clinical settings pertinent to schizophrenia and smoking: these might include general practitioners, psychiatrists, allied health professionals, addiction medicine specialists and public health specialist. The intent is to have a readily accessible practical collection of articles that link clinical, neurobiological, psychosocial and public health domains and inform current and future treatment approaches, including pharmacological aspects.
There is a heavy burden of physical health comorbidity in people with schizophrenia, and it is estimated that such individuals die on average 10-15 years younger than they should, largely because of tobacco related diseases.
Reports suggest tobacco smoking is highly prevalent amongst people with schizophrenia, up to 70% in some clinical settings. Public health initiatives that have resulted in a reduction in smoking amongst the general public, have had no to little impact on rates in people with schizophrenia. The reasons for smoking amongst people with schizophrenia are complex but encompass social parameters, reward brain pathways and effects on core symptoms of schizophrenia, including negative and cognitive symptoms.
This Research Topic will outline the extent of tobacco smoking in people with schizophrenia; interrogate why rates remain so high; and suggest ways in which this issue could be better managed.
The Research Topic will outline studies of people with schizophrenia and related disorders, assessing their attitudes to physical health issues, including smoking; and outline a series of studies assessing the efficacy of healthy lifestyle interventions aimed at reducing smoking and cardiovascular risk in people with schizophrenia.
Particular attention will be given to the ways in which people with schizophrenia can be better engaged in a discussion about smoking cessation, motivating them to quit and using psychological and pharmacological interventions to aid quitting. The controversial issue of e-cigarettes will be discussed with particular reference to cigarettes.
The editors welcome articles which provide succinct updates on the key topic areas outlined in the article list, below. Authors should be writing to a professional audience who might or might not have specific expertise in the topic area, but who come from disciplines and/or clinical settings pertinent to schizophrenia and smoking: these might include general practitioners, psychiatrists, allied health professionals, addiction medicine specialists and public health specialist. The intent is to have a readily accessible practical collection of articles that link clinical, neurobiological, psychosocial and public health domains and inform current and future treatment approaches, including pharmacological aspects.
