Do You CAARd? Smoking Cessation Online Continuing Education

Objective:Smoking exacerbates the harmful effects of diabetes by increasing insulin resistance and increasing complications such as heart disease, stroke, and neuropathy.  In an effort to increase awareness and referrals for smoking cessation among health care providers who serve people with diabetes and other chronic diseases, the Do you cAARd? Taskforce and California Diabetes Program developed an educational web-based program for diabetes educators and health care providers. The course provides 1.5 continuing education units through the American Association of Diabetes Educators.

Methods:The self-study automated course includes education on the effects of tobacco and nicotine, the physiology of smoking, clinical guidelines for tobacco cessation, the Ask Advise Refer intervention, pharmacotherapy, tools and resources.  Also presented is an overview of smoking cessation quitlines that provide telephone counseling, featuring the 1-800-QUIT NOW national number.  A follow up survey was emailed to participants to assess their confidence in promoting cessation and the national quitline.  

Results:The online educational program has been successful based on number of views and access, completion, and “passing” rates. Benefits of an online program are national reach, ease of use, tracking capabilities, automation, and cost effectiveness. The follow up survey found participants were significantly more confident about promoting cessation, knowing the toll-free quitline number, distributing quitline materials, and referring clients to the quitline.

Conclusion:This program provides easy access to training on tobacco cessation and meets accreditation needs of health care organizations. It also demonstrates successful integration of Diabetes Prevention and Control Programs and Tobacco Programs.