Evaluation of a Tobacco Treatment Training Program

There is a need for program evaluations associated with educating healthcare professionals about the treatment of patients who use tobacco. The purpose of this study was to evaluate a Tobacco Treatment Specialist Training program with a pre-test and post-test (provided six months after the program) to determine if participants-maintained knowledge and practices to help patients with tobacco cessation in a mixed-model analysis. A pre-test survey was administered to attendees of a three-day tobacco treatment training continuing education certification program. After 6 months, the attendees were provided a post-test survey with open-ended and Likert-style questions. There were 98 participants who completed the pre-test and 16 who completed the post-test. Responses to the knowledge, confidence, and skills post-test indicated that there was significant improvement and maintenance at the six-month post-test. For example, knowledge improved from a mean of 61.1% (SD: 25.6%) to a mean of 87.9% (SD: 14.4%); medians of 66.7% and 77.7%, respectively, p < 0.001. The in-depth, intensive, three-day TTS training program had a lasting impact. Providers reported greater commitment to helping their patients quit and maintain tobacco cessation habits.