Veteran Social Support Intervention for Enhancing Smoking Treatment Utilization and Cessation
VA Office of Research and Development
Summary
This study is recruiting Veterans who currently smoke cigarettes and support persons who are nominated by the Veterans. The purpose of this study is to assist Veterans with smoking cessation by asking Veterans to choose a support person who will assist them with the quitting process, or who may assist them with the quitting process once the Veteran is ready to quit smoking sometime in the future. Study staff will assess how much or how little social support during the Veteran's quitting process is helpful to the Veteran. This information will help us come up with new ways to help Veterans quit smoking that are better tailored to their needs.
Description
Background: Enhancing access and use of evidence-based tobacco cessation treatments and eliminating tobacco-related health disparities are top national and VA health services priorities. The prevalence of tobacco use is greater among Veterans compared to non-Veterans. From 2010-2015, 29% of women and 21% of male Veterans reported current cigarette smoking. Evidence-based cessation treatments (EBCTs) such as, tobacco quitlines, behavioral counseling, and pharmacotherapy, are greatly underutilized by Veteran smokers. Gaps remain in reaching women Veterans and use of existing social support netwo…
Eligibility
- Age range
- 18+ years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Yes
Inclusion Criteria: Veteran Inclusion Criteria * Smoked 1 cigarettes over the past 30 days, even a puff * If using other tobacco or nicotine products, cigarettes are the main product used * Able to identify one adult family member or friend (SP) with whom they have contact (of any form) at least 3 times per week who will enroll Veteran Support Person Inclusion Criteria * Willing to support the Veteran smoker * Have to have access to any type of phone (or tablet for video call) for delivery of the SP intervention Exclusion Criteria: Veteran Exclusion Criteria * Have used cessation medicati…
Interventions
- BehavioralSupport Person Coaching Call
Support person participants assigned to the intervention group will additionally receive a 1-call coaching session about 15-25 minutes in duration on how to support their Veteran smoker. The session will be delivered by research staff by phone or video call. Support persons in the intervention group and the control/no intervention group will receive existing written material resources on support strategies to stop smoking, and resources on how to stop smoking by postal mail or email.
- BehavioralSP written materials
Written materials covering tips on effective supportive strategies for smoking cessation
- BehavioralWritten Smoking Cessation Materials
Written materials on resource and referral information for VHA and non-VHA EBCT options
Location
- Minneapolis VA Health Care System, Minneapolis, MNMinneapolis, Minnesota