Abstract
Introduction: In 2016, WHO and ERS initiated a 3-year project to support WHO’s activities for strengthening health care systems in delivering tobacco cessation brief interventions in low/medium income countries. Ecuador was chosen for the second-year. The aim was to establish a national healthcare providers’ (HCPs) training network in primary care (PC).
Methods: The Ministry of Health established a national training network, linking institutions responsible for on-the-job training of PC HCPs. WHO, PAHO and ERS conducted a train-the-trainer workshop on tobacco brief advice. In January 2018, 55 PC HCPs attended the workshop based on the 5As/5Rs model. Trainers subsequently endorsed other HCPs through structured cascading training. An e-learning module based on the 5As/5Rs complemented the training. Our prospective cohort study evaluated the effectiveness of brief advice in real world primary care settings in Ecuador. Smokers were systematically approached during clinical routine practice and offered 5As/5Rs brief advice without pharmacotherapy. Smoking status was self-reported.
Results: In total, 120 HCPs, mostly family doctors, were trained: 3916 smokers were reached and advised to quit. Abstinence rates (intention-to-treat analysis) were 30.2% at 4 months; 12.1% at 6 months.
Conclusions: In Ecuador, high abstinence rates were achieved, especially considering that pharmacotherapy was not associated, and while compared to the former 3 countries involved in the first year. The WHO–ERS Smoking Cessation Training Project is a successful example of international strategic collaboration in tobacco control.
Footnotes
Cite this article as: European Respiratory Journal 2020; 56: Suppl. 64, 3067.
This abstract was presented at the 2020 ERS International Congress, in session “Respiratory viruses in the "pre COVID-19" era”.
This is an ERS International Congress abstract. No full-text version is available. Further material to accompany this abstract may be available at www.ers-education.org (ERS member access only).
- Copyright ©the authors 2020