Back to Search
Start Over
Improving smoking cessation counseling using a point-of-care health intervention tool (IT): from the Virginia Practice Support and Research Network (VaPSRN).
- Source :
-
Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine : JABFM [J Am Board Fam Med] 2013 Mar-Apr; Vol. 26 (2), pp. 116-25. - Publication Year :
- 2013
-
Abstract
- Purpose: Primary care practices are an ideal setting for reducing national smoking rates because >70% of smokers visit their physician annually, yet smoking cessation counseling is inconsistently delivered to patients. We designed and created a novel software program for handheld computers and hypothesized that it would improve clinicians' ability to provide patient-tailored smoking cessation counseling at the point of care.<br />Methods: A handheld computer software program was created based on smoking cessation guidelines and an adaptation of widely accepted behavioral change theories. The tool was evaluated using a validated before/after survey to measure physician smoking cessation counseling behaviors, knowledge, and comfort/self-efficacy.<br />Results: Participants included 17 physicians (mean age, 41 years; 71% male; 5 resident physicians) from a practice-based research network. After 4 months of use in direct patient care, physicians were more likely to advise patients to stop smoking (P = .049) and reported an increase in use of the "5 As" (P = .03). Improved self-efficacy in counseling patients regarding smoking cessation (P = .006) was seen, as was increased comfort in providing follow-up to patients (P = .04).<br />Conclusions: Use of a handheld computer software tool improved smoking cessation counseling among physicians and shows promise for translating evidence about smoking cessation counseling into practice and educational settings.
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 1558-7118
- Volume :
- 26
- Issue :
- 2
- Database :
- MEDLINE
- Journal :
- Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine : JABFM
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 23471925
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.3122/jabfm.2013.02.110078