Efficacy of a brief intervention to improve emergency physicians' smoking cessation counseling skills, knowledge, and attitudes.
The objective of this study was to test whether a brief educational/administrative intervention could increase tobacco counseling by emergency physicians (EPs). Pre-/post-study at eight emergency departments (EDs) with residency programs were carried out. EPs received a 1-hour lecture on the health effects of smoking and strategies to counsel patients. After the lecture, cards promoting a national smokers' quitline were placed in EDs, to be distributed by providers. Providers completed pre-/ post-intervention questionnaires. Patients were interviewed pre-/post-intervention to assess provider behavior. Two hundred eighty-seven EPs were enrolled. Post-intervention, providers were more likely to consider tobacco counseling part of their role, and felt more confident in counseling. Data from 1168 patient interviews and chart reviews showed that, post-intervention, providers were more likely to ask patients about smoking, make a referral, and document smoking counseling. Post-intervention, 30% of smokers were given a Quitline referral card. An educational intervention improved ED-based tobacco interventions. Controlled trials are needed to establish these results' durability.
Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Albert Einstein Cancer Center, and Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, New York, USA. steven.bernstein@yale.edu
Steven L
SL
Bernstein
Edwin D
ED
Boudreaux
Lisa
L
Cabral
Rita K
RK
Cydulka
David
D
Schwegman
Gregory L
GL
Larkin
Annette L
AL
Adams
Lynne B
LB
McCullough
Karin V
KV
Rhodes
D000328:Adult; D003376:Counseling / Q000193:education*; D003479:Curriculum; D004493:Education; D004635:Emergency Medicine; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D008875:Middle Aged; D009042:Motivation; D010819:Physician's Role / Q000523:psychology; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000523:psychology; D014481:United States