Vape Counseling at Pediatric Practices: The Rethink Vape Toolkit

E-cigarettes (Vapes) represent the most common form of tobacco used by adolescents, with one out of every 29 (3.5%) middle school students and one in every 13 (7.8%) of high school students vaping daily. This project aimed to increase vape screening and prevention education in youth visits at pediatric practices, to increase provider comfort with the topic of vaping, and to evaluate this educational process.

A provider training and resource modules (talking points, billing codes, and shareable parent/teen-tailored resources) were developed. Providers ( N = 32) completed an anonymous pre/postsurvey regarding their knowledge, comfort levels, barriers, and practices related to teen vaping. Key-informant interviews ( N = 20) were conducted to identify barriers and seek solutions to incorporate risk counseling into daily practice. Monthly meetings were held to achieve Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) in pediatric practices. The frequency of providing vaping information in the Depart Summary was monitored.

Reported barriers to providing vape prevention counseling, including lack of knowledge, lack of resources, discomfort with topic, and patient resistance, were significantly reduced after participation. Time constraints continued to be the greatest barrier to preventive counseling. Physicians who indicated they often or always provide vape prevention information during a visit increased from 9 to 50 percent. Average resources provided increased from 1 to 94 per month.

Tailored provider-training and resources increased physician knowledge of and confidence with the topic of vaping as well as the frequency of screening and preventive guidance provided to teens and their families.