Evaluation of a train-the-trainer program for tobacco cessation

Abstract

Objectives: To assess pharmacy faculty members' perceptions of the Rx for Change tobacco cessation program materials and train-the-trainer program.

Methods: Pharmacy faculty members attended a 14.5 hour train-the-trainer program conducted over 3 days. Posttraining survey instruments assessed participants' (n = 188) characteristics and factors hypothesized to be associated with program adoption.

Results: Prior to the training, 49.5% of the faculty members had received no formal training for treating tobacco use and dependence, and 46.3% had never taught students how to treat tobacco use and dependence. Participants' self-rated abilities to teach tobacco cessation increased posttraining (p < 0.001). The curriculum materials were viewed as either moderately (43.9%) or highly (54.0%) compatible for integration into existing curricula, and 68.3% reported they were "highly likely" to implement the program in the upcoming year.

Conclusions: Participation in a national train-the-trainer program significantly increased faculty members' perceived ability to teach tobacco-related content to pharmacy students, and the majority of participants indicated a high likelihood of adopting the Rx for Change program at their school. The train-the-trainer model appears to be a viable and promising strategy for promoting adoption of curricular innovations on a national scale.

Keywords: assessment; faculty development; tobacco cessation education; train-the-trainer.

Figure 1

Faculty self-ratings of overall ability to teach comprehensive tobacco cessation to pharmacy students (n = 188). *Assessed posttraining: “Before the conference, how would you have rated your overall ability to teach comprehensive tobacco cessation to your students?”