Increasing Tobacco Use Cessation: Provider Education When Used Alone

Task Force Finding*

Provider education involves giving information about tobacco and tobacco use cessation to providers to increase their knowledge or change their attitudes. Techniques by which information is delivered include lectures, written materials, videos, and continuing medical education seminars. Provider populations include physicians, nurses, physician assistants, health care students, and other office staff. Provider education efforts are frequently combined with other interventions, such as provider reminders and patient education efforts. These multicomponent interventions are considered separately below.

After a review of the scientific evidence, the Task Force found insufficient evidence to assess the effectiveness of provider education alone. The Task Force considered the available evidence insufficient on the basis of (1) inconsistent results in increasing provider advice to quit, and (2) an insufficient number of studies measuring differences in patient cessation.

*From the following publication:

Task Force on Community Preventive Services. Recommendations regarding interventions to reduce tobacco use and exposure to environmental tobacco smoke. [PDF - 1.46KB] Am J Prev Med 2001;20(2S):10-5.

Review completed: February 2000

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