Purpose: This study examined the learning experience in and usefulness of motivational interviewing (MI) among doctors and nurses in smoking-cessation clinics.

Methods: A questionnaire survey was administered to 500 board certified members and fellows of the Japan Society for Tobacco Control by random sampling. Among the 251 responses received, we analyzed the results of 90 that were from respondents who had participated in an MI workshop.

Results: Of all the respondents, 93.3% had participated in a half-day or 1-day workshop, 24.2% had received coaching, and 27.5% had participated in regular learning sessions. The percentage of participants who answered that MI was useful the provision of smoking cessation support was 73.3%. Participants reported that the most useful MI skill was “responding to change talk.”

Discussion: Many of the participants had participated in a half-day or one-day workshop. However, they felt that MI was generally helpful in the provision of smoking cessation support and considered skills to strengthen goal orientation to be the most useful content.

Conclusion: This study revealed that learning experience in MI is useful for those providing smoking cessation support, particularly training in skills related to strengthening target orientation.

Objective: This study aimed to reveal the current state of support by social welfare offices for welfare recipients (“recipients”) to stop smoking, in terms of social nicotine dependence.

Method: We distributed a questionnaire survey to social welfare workers (“welfare workers”) in 1,273 social welfare offices throughout Japan and analyzed 1,583 responses.

Results: More than half of the welfare workers understood the recipients’ smoking situation, recognized the need for smoking cessation, and had advised the recipients to stop smoking. On the other hand, medical treatment for smoking cessation was underutilized. A significant correlation was found between the value of the Kano Test for Social Nicotine Dependence (KTSND) and the recognition of the need for smoking cessation; and the value of KTSND and experience with advising the recipients to stop smoking.

Discussion: The degree of social nicotine dependence of the welfare workers may have affected their willingness to help the welfare recipients to stop smoking.

Conclusion: More than half of the welfare workers understood the recipients’ smoking situation, recognized the need for smoking cessation, and had advised the recipients to stop smoking. However, medical treatment for smoking cessation was underutilized, and thus we need to solve this problem. Cooperation among the fields of health, medical care, and welfare is required for effective delivery of the program.