Course Guide

Good day and welcome to the online course on Brief Tobacco Intervention! This online course has been
designed so that you can take it at your own pace within the prescribed schedule. This will guide you as
you go through this self-administered training.

Introduction
Healthcare providers have several roles to play in tobacco control, including preventing tobacco initiation,
assisting smokers in tobacco cessation, and protecting non-smokers from the ill-effects of exposure to
tobacco smoke. In this training, we will focus on our role in tobacco cessation, a task that can be
effectively carried out through a Brief Tobacco Intervention (BTI).

BTI, as the name suggests, is a quick intervention which focuses on strengthening a tobacco user’s
motivation to change their behavior and assisting them based on their level of motivation to develop and
carry out a cessation plan to help them quit successfully. While it may seem a daunting task, it is one that
can be conducted by anyone, including, but not limited to, primary healthcare providers (physician,
dentist, nurse, midwife, sanitary inspector, midwives, barangay health workers, clinicians or medical
specialists, hospital ancillary staff, health care providers in specialized health facilities/agencies,
educators, guidance counselors, lay community members, husbands, wives, children, neighbors, and
peers. But to be able to execute an effective BTI requires the knowledge of the complexity of tobacco
dependence and the skills to competently engage with your patients in tobacco cessation.

This training will equip you with the necessary knowledge and skills in conducting BTI among clients, co-
workers, family members, and friends who are tobacco users. But before we begin, you must remember:

 Not to be discouraged by people who fail to quit. Tobacco dependence is a complex condition that
involves different influences with varying consequences. Tobacco cessation is a long but
worthwhile process.
 Many tobacco users have other substance addictions. It is essential to take this into account as
other substance addictions affect your patient’s progress.
 Be aware of how you present yourself. Know your tasks as a BTI-provider well and master the skills
needed when engaging with patients. A knowledgeable and skilled BTI healthcare provider
increases the chances of a successful tobacco intervention.
 Be aware of the physical and social environment that “frames” your cessation message. Remember
that you are guiding your patient into quitting tobacco use and that each tobacco user is unique.
You must give a clear, strong and personalized message directed to your patients based on their
personal experiences.

Brief Tobacco Intervention: Course Guide 2

  Use local resources that provide cessation services. We have existing cessation services in almost
all areas of our country. Let’s utilize them.

Learning Objectives
Upon completion of this training, you will be able to:

1. Describe the current global and national burden of disease due to tobacco use;
2. Describe the three-link chain of tobacco dependence;
3. Describe the different levels of intensity in tobacco interventions;
4. Demonstrate the Five A’s (Ask, Advice, Assess, Assist, and Arrange) as the effective BTI
methodology to assist tobacco users to quit smoking and help them to stay quit;
5. Provide appropriate information on the dangers of using tobacco products, electronic nicotine
delivery systems (ENDS) or e-cigarettes, and exposure to secondhand and third hand tobacco
smoke;
6. Identify and describe the various community resources available to help tobacco users quit; and
7. Describe and define the different tobacco use indicators

Learning Outcome
To be able to build the capacity of health care providers on the method of conducting a BTI among
clients, co-workers, family members, and friends who are tobacco users.

Course Modules
This training consists of six modules. These modules are designed to equip you with the concepts,
knowledge and skills to effectively conduct brief tobacco interventions. The modules are summarized
below.

Module 1: Building the Momentum. The module will provide background information on the global and
national statistics of tobacco use, its health effects, tobacco control strategies, and the benefits of
tobacco cessation. We will also discuss the three-link chain of tobacco dependence which explains the
various factors influencing tobacco addiction.

Module 2: BTI Essentials. In this module, you will learn how to determine a person’s willingness to quit
tobacco use through the Readiness to Change model and how doing so will influence a patient’s tobacco
cessation plan. You will then be introduced to the five major steps to intervention, which are the 5 A’s:
Ask, Advise, Assess, Assist, and Arrange.

Module 3: Not Ready to Quit. In this module, we will learn to identify tobacco users who are not ready to
quit. The Five A’s methodology, introduced in the previous module, will also be used to help map out the

Brief Tobacco Intervention: Course Guide 3

next steps in the intervention. We’ll also learn about the use of the BTI flowchart in this scenario, and how
it differs from smokers who are in other stages of quitting.

Module 4: Ready to Quit. In this module, you will continue to use the Five A’s to identify and assist
individuals who are ready to quit tobacco use within the next 30 days. This is best done by creating a Quit
Plan that includes a Quit Date, some times before quitting, advice on how to prevent relapse and
identifying basic strategies to help in quitting.

Module 5: Staying Quit or Relapse. For this module, we will learn skills related to follow-ups after an
initial intervention, and how to assist users who have quit or have relapsed.

Module 6: Establishing Strong Connection. Finally, we will be introduced to the BTI Register; a crucial
document that has vital information about tobacco users and contains valuable data to help guide future
activities toward a tobacco-free Philippines.

Course Activities
In each module, you will learn the lessons by reading e-books and watching short videos. You have to go
through these learning materials in the order in which they appear on the site.

At the end of the module, you are required to take a short online quiz. You must pass the quiz to be able
to proceed to the next module. The quizzes are there to help you gain a better understanding of the
lessons, which means that you can re-take up to three times. You will also need to submit
self-recorded video role-plays in selected modules.

At the end of this course, you will need to take and pass the post-test also in this course site to be issued
a certificate.

In addition, there are optional learning activities that you may want to do on your own to deepen your
mastery of the subject. They are NOT required for the completion of this training.

A complete set of the study guide can be downloaded on the site.

Some Reminders
Remember, how much you learn from this course will depend on how much effort you put into it. And so,
we hope that we all make the most out of this opportunity. Here’s to flexible learning!

Brief Tobacco Intervention: Course Guide 4