Evaluation of a Train-the-Trainer Program for Tobacco Cessation

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.