Bret E. Fuller, PhD (NPC Research, Portland, OR), Joseph R. Guydish, PhD (Institute for Health Policy Studies, University of California, San Francisco, CA/AZ Node).

Article not currently available online (Need help getting a copy?)

Substance abuse counselors, programs, and treatment systems are considering how to address smoking and nicotine dependence in the populations they serve. This article reports on the results from a survey within the National Drug Abuse Treatment Clinical Trials Network (CTN) that assessed whether the surveyed treatment agency provided smoking cessation treatment as part of their regular services. The survey also assessed the attitudes of staff regarding the feasibility of offering smoking cessation treatment. Analyses explored those factors associated with whether or not smoking cessation services were provided, and factors that predict staff attitudes toward smoking cessation treatment in these drug treatment strategies. Overall, the study found that smoking cessation treatment was more likely to be available in units that offered other ancillary services, including detoxification. Additionally, clinics that provide smoking cessation care were more likely to have a staff with a supportive attitude toward such services. This was especially true in clinics with a high number of pregnant women, but the proportion of youth admissions was neither a predictor for staff attitudes nor for the provision of smoking cessation services. Overall, this study presents some challenges to the treatment field to focus on evidence-based services regarding smoking cessation treatment, and raises some ethical issues as well. (Magazine Article, PDF, English, 2008)

Keywords: Attitudes of health personnel | Community health services | Counselors | CTN platform/ancillary study | Health services research | Pregnant women | Smoking | Counselor (magazine)

Document No: 260

Submitted by CTN Dissemination Librarians, 2/14/2008.