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

Successful smoking cessation remains a challenge. The 'Very Brief Advice' (VBA) method is the recommended clinical practice in Denmark for referral to smoking cessation programs. This study examines how healthcare providers use the Very Brief Advice (VBA) method for smoking cessation, comparing trained and untrained staff and exploring overall referral activity at a large Danish Hospital.

A cross-sectional survey was conducted at a major hospital in the Region of Southern Denmark. HCPs reported sociodemographic and work-related information as well as their use of the VBA in daily practice. Practices of smoking cessation support beyond the VBA-method and hospital-level data on monthly referrals (May 2018 to May 2022) were assessed as a secondary objective.

Between June and September 2021, a total of 1,572 (out of 3,998) HCPs with regular patient contact completed survey and were included in the study. Results show that mandatory VBA training was only undertaken by 35.6% of the participants and nearly half (46.6%) of all participants reported that they never/almost never used VBA in their daily practice. A larger proportion of nurses completed the training, compared to other HCPs. A larger proportion of outpatient staff completed the training, compared to staff in inpatient units. Referral data showed a decline in monthly VBA-referrals, dropping from 299 per months in 2018 to 96 in 2022.

The use of the mandatory VBA method in a larger Danish hospital is limited and declining. We observed low participation in VBA training and low utilization among HCPs. Significant adjustments and reassessment of the implementation effort are necessary.Trial registration: Not relevant.