title: Treatment manuals, training and successful provision of stop smoking behavioural support.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Translating evidence-based behaviour change interventions into practice is aided by use of treatment manuals specifying the recommended content and format of interventions, and evidence-based training. This study examined whether outcomes of stop smoking behavioural support differed with practitioner's use and evaluation of treatment manuals, or practitioner's training.
  
  
  METHODS
  English stop smoking practitioners were invited to complete an online survey including questions on: practitioners' training, availability, use and perceived utility of manuals, and annual biochemically-validated success rates of quit attempts supported (practitioner-reported). Mean success rates were compared between practitioners with/without access to manuals, those using/not using manuals, perceived utility ratings of manuals, and consecutive levels of training completed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Success rates were higher if practitioners had a manual (Mean (SD) = 54.0 (24.0) versus 48.0 (25.3), t(838) = 2.48, p = 0.013; n = 840), used a manual (F(2,8237) = 4.78, p = 0.009, n = 840), perceived manuals as more useful (F(3,834) = 2.90, p = 0.034, n = 840), and had completed training (F(3,709) = 4.81, p = 0.002, n = 713). Differences were diminished when adjusting for professional and demographic characteristics and no longer reached statistical significance using a conventional alpha for perceived utility of manuals and training status (both p = 0.1).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Practitioners' performance in supporting smokers to quit varied with availability and use of treatment manuals. Evidence was weaker for perceived utility of manuals and practitioners' evidence-based training. Ensuring practitioners have access to treatment manuals within their service, promoting manual use, and training practitioners to competently apply manuals is likely to contribute to higher success rates in clinical practice.
authors.affiliation: National Addictions Centre, UK Centre for Tobacco and Alcohol Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK. Electronic address: leonie.brose@kcl.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Leonie S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Brose
authors.affiliation: Cancer Research UK Health Behaviour Research Centre, University College London, London, UK. Electronic address: Andy.McEwen@ucl.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Andy
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: McEwen
authors.affiliation: Centre for Outcomes Research and Effectiveness, University College London, London, UK. Electronic address: s.michie@ucl.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Michie
authors.affiliation: Cancer Research UK Health Behaviour Research Centre, University College London, London, UK. Electronic address: robertwest100@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: West
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology and Language Sciences, University College London, London, UK. Electronic address: xie.chew.11@alumni.ucl.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Xie Yin
authors.initials: XY
authors.lastname: Chew
authors.affiliation: Health Services Research and Management, School of Health Sciences, City University London, London, UK. Electronic address: Fabiana.lorencatto.2@city.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Fabiana
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lorencatto
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001521:Behavior Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D004493:Education; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008370:Manuals as Topic; D008875:Middle Aged; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Implementation; Knowledge translation; Manuals; Professional education; Smoking cessation