A pilot study of Counsel to Quit®: Evaluating an Ask Advise Refer (AAR)-based tobacco cessation training for medical and mental healthcare providers

Introduction: Despite tobacco use as the largest preventable cause of premature death in the US, many healthcare providers continue to lack the knowledge and confidence in employing the Ask, Advise, Refer (AAR) model in tobacco cessation treatment delivery. This pilot study evaluated the feasibility and effectiveness of a novel MR-styled training program, Counsel to Quite, across a range of healthcare providers and disciplines (i.e., medical, mental health, other). The Counsel to Quit (R) training program primarily targeted publically-funded settings that serve communities with high smoking rates. Methods: Pre- and post-training surveys were administered to medical, mental health, and other professionals (N = 297) to evaluate the effectiveness of the 60-90 minute Counsel to Quit (R) counselor training program for improving confidence in the ability to discuss approved tobacco cessation interventions and address the current state of knowledge about the role of electronic cigarettes in tobacco cessation. The trainings were held across 14 different non-profit institutional settings in Chicago, IL. Results: The Counsel to Quite program improved AAR beliefs, the confidence and ability to discuss smoking cessation, and knowledge on the role of electronic cigarettes in tobacco cessation among medical, mental health, and other providers (ps < .001). Interactions showed that Counsel to Quit (R) improved medical provider confidence in referring patients for smoking cessation the most (p < .001), and also improved mental health providers belief in the importance of tobacco cessation for preventative care the most (ps < .05). Conclusions: Counsel to Quite is a feasible and effective training for improving AAR beliefs across multiple healthcare provider domains and at different types of publicly-funded healthcare institutions. Further, this training increased provider preparedness to discuss the lack of evidence for e-cigarette use as a form of tobacco cessation.