Using the 'very brief advice'-method for referral to smoking cessation programs.

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Healthcare Management
• Smoking Cessation Interventions

Background:

• Smoking cessation remains a significant public health challenge.
• The Very Brief Advice (VBA) method is Denmark's recommended clinical practice for referring patients to smoking cessation programs.
• Effective implementation of VBA is crucial for improving cessation rates.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the utilization of the VBA method by healthcare providers (HCPs) at a large Danish hospital.
• To compare VBA training completion and usage between trained and untrained staff.
• To assess overall referral activity for smoking cessation programs over time.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional survey was administered to 1,572 HCPs with patient contact at a major hospital in Southern Denmark.
• Data collected included sociodemographics, work-related information, VBA usage, and smoking cessation support practices.
• Hospital-level monthly referral data from May 2018 to May 2022 were analyzed.

Main Results:

• Only 35.6% of surveyed HCPs completed mandatory VBA training, with nearly half (46.6%) reporting never/almost never using VBA.
• Nurses and outpatient staff showed higher training completion rates compared to other HCPs and inpatient staff, respectively.
• Monthly VBA referrals significantly declined from 299 in 2018 to 96 in 2022.

Conclusions:

• The adoption and utilization of the mandatory VBA method in this Danish hospital setting are notably limited and decreasing.
• Low training participation and HCP utilization highlight significant implementation challenges.
• Reassessment and adjustment of the VBA implementation strategy are urgently required to improve its effectiveness.