title: Osteopathic Medical Student Administered Smoking Cessation Counseling is an Effective Tool.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Physician counseling on the risks of tobacco smoking and the benefits of cessation has been shown to be an effective method of increasing the rate of smoking cessation. Using the "Help Your Patients Quit Smoking: A Coaching Guide" also referred to as the "7A's of Smoking Cessation" guideline from the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene is thought to be effective to convey the importance of smoking cessation.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To study the efficacy of the "7A's of Smoking Cessation" guideline counseling conducted by osteopathic medical students.
  
  
  METHODS
  Osteopathic medical students were trained to counsel smokers for 3-10 min based on New York City Department of Health's "7A's of Smoking Cessation" guidelines by a licensed physician. Students then counseled health fair participants who were cigarette smokers for 3-10 min. Postcounseling, participants were administered an 4 question survey to evaluate the effect counseling had on their desire to quit smoking. Survey data were collected and analyzed. Institutional Review Board approval was obtained for this study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 13 anonymous health fair participants who were also smokers were administered both counseling sessions and surveys. 11/13 (84.6%) participants stated that the session motivated them to quit smoking. 9/13 (69.2%) participants responded that they were now motivated to discuss smoking cessation with their doctor after being counseled. Of these participants 12/13 (92.3%) had previously attempted to quit smoking without success.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Participants reported an increased willingness to stop smoking after being counseled by osteopathic medical students. Participants also reported an increased motivation to discuss smoking cessation with their physician. These findings indicate that smoking cessation counseling administered by osteopathic medical students effectively in encouraging smokers to consider reduction or cessation of tobacco use.
authors.affiliation: Department of Primary Care, Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine, New York, NY 10027, USA; Department of Clinical Education, New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine, Old Westbury, NY 11568, USA.
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Capozzi
authors.affiliation: Department of Primary Care , Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine , New York, NY 10027 , USA.
authors.forename: Ariel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chez
authors.affiliation: Department of Primary Care , Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine , New York, NY 10027 , USA.
authors.forename: Taissia
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Carpenter
authors.affiliation: Department of Primary Care , Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine , New York, NY 10027 , USA.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hubert
authors.affiliation: Department of Primary Care , Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine , New York, NY 10027 , USA.
authors.forename: Lissa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hewan-Lowe
authors.affiliation: Department of Primary Care , Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine , New York, NY 10027 , USA.
authors.forename: Asli
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ozcan
authors.affiliation: Department of Primary Care, Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine, New York, NY 10027, USA; Department of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Northwell Health, New Hyde Park, NY 11040, USA; Center for Heart and Lung Research, Feinstein Institute for Medical Research, Manhasset, NY 11030, USA.
authors.forename: Sonu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sahni
keywords: Cigarette use; clinical education; healthcare counseling; osteopathic medical school curriculum; smoking cessation