141st APHA Annual Meeting

In This section

281437
Pharmacists' desire for tobacco cessation intervention in West Virginia

Tuesday, November 5, 2013

Parul Agarwal, MPH , West Virginia University School of Pharmacy, Morgantown, WV
Virginia Scott, PhD , West Virginia University School of Pharmacy, Morgantown, WV
Cindy Tworek, PhD, MPH , West Virginia University School of Pharmacy, Morgantown, WV
Betsy Elswick, Pharm.D , West Virginia University School of Pharmacy, Morgantown, WV
Kimberly Kelly, PhD , West Virginia University School of Pharmacy, Morgantown, WV
Objective: West Virginia (WV) is among the states with highest prevalence of tobacco-related illnesses. The objective of this study was to assess the desire of pharmacists to offer tobacco cessation interventions at their practice settings. Methods: Pharmacists were identified from the WV continuing education database and randomly selected to complete a survey to describe: their practice setting, personal use of tobacco products and health history, family/friends' lung cancer history, history of tobacco counseling, and their desire to offer a tobacco cessation intervention. Additionally, the survey asked about different types of interventions that pharmacists would like to offer. Mixed methods approach was adopted for data analysis using IBM SPSS version 20.0. Results: Of 199 survey responses(response rate around 20%), most pharmacists were interested in pharmacy-based tobacco cessation interventions(66%) or providing counseling sessions to patients(88%). Qualitative data revealed additional preferred interventions: programs providing a short-term supply of smoking cessation products at low/no-cost for the underinsured; and educational programs for youth “before they get started“. However, others were resistant to provide any smoking cessation activities due to time constraints. Multiple regression analysis indicated that settings with more pharmacists(βstd=.17), having a friend with lung cancer(βstd =.24), currently promoting tobacco cessation(βstd =.23), and having personally counseled patients in cessation(βstd =.19) were associated with greater interest in interventions(F(4,127)=7.44, p<.001). Conclusions: Barriers, such as practice setting policies (e.g. staffing), time constraints and financial considerations prevent pharmacists from providing smoking cessation interventions. This highlights that pharmacists can encourage their patients to quit tobacco use and adopt healthy-lifestyle practices.

Learning Areas:
Advocacy for health and health education
Implementation of health education strategies, interventions and programs
Other professions or practice related to public health
Planning of health education strategies, interventions, and programs

Learning Objectives:
Assess the barriers that prevent pharmacists to offer tobacco counselling sessions at their workplace. Identify the steps that can be taken in the pharmacies to offer tobacco cessation activities. Define the need for a common platform where pharmacists' can discuss the development of a comprehensive tobacco cessation program.

Keywords: Tobacco, Pharmacists

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am a second year doctoral student in health outcomes research. Also, I have a background in economics and public health. Tobacco related illnesses are a matter of concern for all healthcare professionals including clinicians, pharmacists and public health workers. Being in the school of pharmacy and working with pharmacists and behavioral scientists provides me enough knowledge and experience to highlight such an important problem.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.