Impact of WHO brief-tobacco-intervention training on oral-health professionals in Japan

Objectives: WHO recommends that all oral-health professionals (OHPs) should be urged to integrate tobacco cessation services into routine practice, particularly in primary care. We assessed impact of the WHO brief-tobacco-intervention (3-5min) training on OHPs and their attitude for development and implementation of e-learning training program in Japan.
Methods: Questionnaire about background of participant, learning objectives of training including abilities (9 items) and skills developed (5 items), and opinions about e-learning program (4 items) was provided to 108 participants during 4 sessions (Day 1-4) of one-day workshop (8 modules) presented by WHO medical officer.
Results: Answers of 97 OHPs consisting of more than 20 persons in three age groups (30’s-50’s), 36 men and 60 women, 52 dentists and 45 dental hygienists, and 64 beginners and 30 experienced or learned persons, were analyzed. Most participants (61%-100%) responded positively to 9 items of abilities. Mean visual analogue scales for skill were moderate and constant (41%-45%) in beginners for 4 items, while lower values were shown in the group of experienced or leaned persons (26%-41%) particularly in the skill of ability to apply the knowledge of tobacco use and its harmful effects. Association of low confidence in the ability with experience of training remained significant by the logistic regression analysis. Opinions were obtained from 87.8% of participants (4.6 items on average) regarding with special attention to emphasis upon oral health risks, specific considerations to Japan such as universal health insurance system, smoking cessation treatment by physicians, heated tobacco products, motivational interviewing and role of dental hygienists, and modes and components of training.
Conclusions: The WHO training was totally effective for beginners as the workshop mode, while potential barriers and facilitators were identified for dissemination by e-learning program in Japan.
This study was supported by Pfizer Global Medical Grant #35621681.