Accepted for/Published in: JMIR Medical Education
Date Submitted: May 27, 2020
Date Accepted: Apr 13, 2021
A Shared Tobacco Cessation Curriculum Website: Longitudinal Analysis of User and Utilization Data Over a Period of 15 Years
ABSTRACT
Background:
Because tobacco use is a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, it is essential to prepare healthcare providers to assist patients with quitting smoking. The Rx for Change shared curriculum created in 1999 fills an educational gap in tobacco cessation training in health professional schools of all disciplines. In 2004, a website was launched to host teaching materials and tools for educators and clinicians.
Objective:
The objective of this study was to characterize users and utilization of a website hosting shared teaching materials over a period of 15 years.
Methods:
Data from the Rx for Change website have been collected prospectively since its launch. In this study, end-user data were analyzed to determine user characteristics, how they heard about the website, intended use of the materials, and number of file downloads and logins over time.
Results:
Total number of website registrants was 15,576, representing all 50 states and 94 countries. The most represented discipline was pharmacy (41.2%), and nearly half of users were students or residents. The most common source of referral to the website was a faculty member or colleague (33.4%), and the purpose of enhancing personal knowledge and skills was the most commonly cited intended use of the curricular materials. A total of 259,835 file downloads occurred during the 15-year period, and the most commonly downloaded file type was ancillary handouts.
Conclusions:
The Rx for Change website demonstrated sustained use, providing immediate access to tobacco cessation teaching and practice tools for educators and clinicians over the first 15 years of its existence. The website had a broad interprofessional reach, which increases the likelihood of smokers receiving assistance from multiple types of health care providers. The consistent utilization over time and large number of downloads, provided evidence for the feasibility and impact of a public access website hosting a shared tobacco cessation curriculum for health professionals.
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