Impact of education on smoking cessation counseling by surgical residents.
BACKGROUND
Surgeons infrequently provide smoking cessation counseling for patients, in part because they lack training to do so. We investigated the efficacy of 2 methods of teaching smoking cessation counseling to surgical residents.


METHODS
Residents' knowledge and attitude toward smoking cessation counseling were assessed by written test. Counseling skills were assessed with standardized patients. Residents were randomized for smoking cessation education: a "Role-play" group received a 1-hour lecture plus an hour of role-playing. An evidence-based medicine (EBM) group attended a 1- hour EBM journal club on related articles. Changes in residents' knowledge, attitude, and skills were assessed after education.


RESULTS
Sixteen residents completed the study. After either form of education, residents demonstrated significant improvements in knowledge, attitude, and skills in smoking cessation counseling. There was no significant difference in improvement between the EBM and Role-play groups.


CONCLUSIONS
A brief educational intervention can significantly improve residents' knowledge, attitude, and counseling skills for smoking cessation.
Steinemann
Susan
S
Department of Surgery, University of Hawaii, John A. Burns School of Medicine, 1356 Lusitana St., 6th Floor, Honolulu, HI 96813, USA. steine@hawaii.edu
Roytman
Timur
T
Chang
Janice
J
Holzman
Jennifer
J
Hishinuma
Earl
E
Nagoshi
Michael
M
Tam
Elizabeth
E
Murakami
Sara
S
Wong
Jan
J
D003376:Counseling; D004502:Education, Medical, Continuing; D013502:General Surgery / Q000193:education*; D006801:Humans; D007396:Internship and Residency; D010819:Physician's Role; D012381:Role Playing; D016540:Smoking Cessation