Marketing integrated tobacco treatment to Veterans Health Administration substance use disorder treatment providers

Tobacco use disorder (TUD) is a psychiatric addictive disorder that results in significantly more mortality and morbidity then alcohol and illicit substances, yet historically substance use disorder (SUD) treatment providers have not considered nicotine a drug of addiction nor nicotine dependence an important focus of treatment. Our recent work indicates over two-thirds of SUD patients in VHA residential programs are nicotine dependent while only 11% of these patients receive a nicotine dependence diagnosis and pharmacotherapy. To improve utilization of tobacco treatment we developed social marketing messages aimed at promoting integrated tobacco treatment implementation among SUD residential treatment program staff. Three audience segments were targeted: program administrators, clinical staff, and domiciliary (unlicensed) staff. Relevant themes were identified from existing literature, VHA data, and interviews conducted with 22 practitioners from 10 VHA SUD programs. An overarching message framework was developed and adapted to each of the respective market segments. The message framework was used to brand an implementation toolkit that includes evidence-based tobacco treatment clinical materials as well as implementation tools such as a self-assessment checklist for program administrators, a discussion guide for defining staff roles and responsibilities that describes case examples of other successful programs, customizable email templates for administrators or clinical champions to send out every two weeks, etc. The message framework and implementation toolkit were then formatively evaluated in a second wave of interviews with program staff and policy leaders. This presentation will discuss the development and dissemination of social marketing campaigns targeting health care system personnel.