A Tobacco Treatment Training Program Expands the Number of Healthcare Providers Trained to Use Evidence-Based Practices and Methods

Authors

Alex Hurst, The National Council for Behavioral HealthFollow
Maher Karam-Hage, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer CenterFollow
Jennifer Cofer, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer CenterFollow
Mehwish Javaid, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer CenterFollow
Diane Beneventi, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer CenterFollow
Janice Blalock, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer CenterFollow
Tiffany Winter, CDC FoundationFollow
Paul M. Cinciripini, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer CenterFollow
Ernest Hawk, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer CenterFollow

Abstract

Tobacco-use disorder remains a global health challenge, despite declining rates, and is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality, especially among special populations that disproportionally do not have access to comprehensive treatment services. The lack of trained providers and slow dissemination of new tobacco treatment knowledge are obstacles to accessing comprehensive evidence-based treatments. Less is known about the impact of specialized training programs on healthcare professionals' ability to effectively treat tobacco use. This paper reports on the evaluation of the tobacco treatment training program, training methodology, and the demographics of the specialists trained.

MD Anderson’s Tobacco Treatment Training Program (TTTP) trained 1,155 professionals from 2017 to 2023. Of those, 1,052 (91%) successfully completed the course as a Tobacco Treatment Specialist (TTS) after passing the exam. Our trainees' knowledge and skills significantly increased from 60.3% (pre) versus 95.8% (post), —a 59% increase. A majority (73%) had spent less than one year as a tobacco-treatment professional prior to taking the course, indicating crucial training early in TTS career. Changing the training delivery modality to virtual in 2020, showed a 30% increase in participants outside of Texas.

Arkansas Department of Health (ADH) contracts with MD Anderson to train their tobacco quitline call center staff exclusively. Over a five-year period, MD Anderson trained 394 professionals in Arkansas. In 2018 when MD Anderson first initiated the contract, Arkansas quit rates were 28%. In 2023, Arkansas quit rates were 34% and increased when patients attended multiple counseling calls.

Given the ever-changing landscape and regulation of tobacco products, healthcare systems and cancer centers have an obligation to equip their practitioners with evidence-based knowledge and skills required to treat tobacco and nicotine addiction. MD Anderson's TTTP constitutes a valuable resource for providers treating individuals seeking assistance in quitting.¹

DOI

https://doi.org/10.52519/ACEQI.25.1.1.a3

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-Share Alike 4.0 International License.

Recommended Citation

Hurst A, Karam-Hage M, Cofer J, Javaid M, Beneventi D, Blalock J, Winter T, Cinciripini PM, Hawk E. A Tobacco Treatment Training Program Expands the Number of Healthcare Providers Trained to Use Evidence-Based Practices and Methods. Advances in Cancer Education and Quality Improvement. 2025; 1(1). doi: https://doi.org/10.52519/ACEQI.25.1.1.a3.