Impact of Smoking Cessation Training for Community Pharmacists in Indonesia

Background: Community pharmacists play an important role in tobacco control and adequate training onsmoking cessation is essential. Materials and
Methods: A quasi-experimental pre-test/post-test design was used.A one-day workshop on smoking cessation organized by Indonesian Pharmacists Association as part of PCEprogram was offered to 133 community pharmacists. The workshop consisted of a 3-hour lecture and a 3-hourrole-play session. Pre-training and post-training surveys assessed the impact of training on parameters includingknowledge, perceived role and self-efficacy with respect to smoking cessation counseling practices. Intentionand ability to perform counseling using the 5A framework was assessed after training only.
Results: After PCE,knowledge score significantly increased from 24.9±2.58 to 35.7±3.54 (p<0.001). Perceived role and self-efficacy insmoking cessation counseling also significantly increased from 25.8±2.73 to 28.7±2.24, and 27.6±4.44 to 32.6±3.63,respectively (p<0.001). After the workshop, most participants were willing to ask, advise, and assess patientswho ready to quit, but were still less likely to assist in quitting plans and arranging follow up counseling. Morethan 75% pharmacists were able to perform cessation counseling and 65% of them can completely perform a5A brief intervention.
Conclusions: PCE can enhance pharmacists’ knowledge, perceived role, self-efficacy incessation counseling practices, and create willingness and ability to perform cessation counseling. Future trainingis recommended to improve skills in assisting quitting plans and arranging follow up.