Pediatric Residency Training Director Tobacco Survey II

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To assess the current status of pediatric residency training on tobacco use and smoke exposure. METHODS: A nationwide survey of all pediatric residency training directors in the United States was conducted from November 2010 to May 2011 via use of surveymonkey.com. The survey assessed training director characteristics, attitudes and beliefs about pediatricians’ role in addressing tobacco control in patients and parents, past training in tobacco use and smoke exposure, inclusion of tobacco control in their training curriculum, and barriers to inclusion. Data are presented as percentages, with χ2 tests of significance. RESULTS: Sixty-five percent of programs included tobacco control in the curriculum, and training directors who received past training in tobacco prevention and control were significantly more likely to include tobacco use and smoke exposure than those without training. The vast majority of training programs focused on health effects as opposed to intervention, failed to employ active learning to teach tobacco intervention skills, did not evaluate resident tobacco knowledge and skills, and did not encourage use of medications to help parents quit smoking. CONCLUSIONS: Pediatric residency training programs must do more to prepare residents to address tobacco use and smoke exposure. Given the many competing priorities of residency training, there is a need to explore new ways of integrating tobacco control into the 3-year curriculum.