Promoting Smoke-Free Homes Through Biomarker Feedback Documenting Child Exposure to Tobacco Toxins: Protocol for a Randomized Clinical Trial.

Background: Exposure to secondhand smoke (SHS) early in life increases the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), asthma, and respiratory illnesses. Since children's primary exposure to SHS occurs in the home, these most vulnerable members of our society are not fully protected by recent increases in the adoption of smoking bans in public spaces. Although exposure to SHS is a quickly reversible cause of excess morbidity, few low-income homes strictly enforce smoking restrictions.

Trends in self-efficacy to quit and smoking urges among homeless smokers participating in a smoking cessation RCT.

Introduction: In the U.S., approximately 73% of homeless adults smoke cigarettes and they experience difficulty quitting.

Cessation-related weight concern among homeless male and female smokers.

Concern about post-cessation weight gain is a barrier to making attempts to quit smoking; however, its effect on smoking cessation is unclear. In this study we examine cessation-related weight concern among the homeless, which hasn't been studied. Homeless males (n = 320) and females (n = 110) participating in a smoking cessation RCT in the Twin Cities, Minnesota from 2009 to 2011 completed surveys on cessation-related weight concern, smoking status, and components from the Behavioral Model for Vulnerable Populations.

Characteristics of Employees of Small Manufacturing Businesses by Occupation: Informing Evidence-Based Intervention Planning.

Objectives: We examined characteristics of employees in six occupational categories in small manufacturing businesses (20-150 employees).

Methods: We analyzed survey data from 47 businesses (n = 2577 employees; 86% response rate) and examined relationships between job type and sociodemographic, health, and organizational support characteristics. Analyses were adjusted for age and sex, and company as a random effect.

Smoking patterns, quit behaviors, and smoking environment of workers in small manufacturing companies.

Background: This study describes smokers employed at 47 small manufacturing companies in Minnesota, USA.

Methods: Smokers (n = 713) participating in a group-randomized trial completed a baseline survey on their smoking patterns, quit behaviors, smoking environment, workplace attitudes about smoking, and correlates of smoking. These characteristics were examined by job type and a latent class analysis (LCA) was performed to group workers with similar characteristics.

Creating a Representative Sample of Small Manufacturing Businesses for an Integrated Workplace Safety and Smoking Cessation Intervention Study.

Objectives: We aimed to recruit a representative sample of small manufacturing businesses (20 to 150 employees) for a group-randomized trial of an integrated workplace safety and smoking cessation program.

Methods: An initial sample was drawn from commercial databases, screened for duplicates or ineligibility, and contacted. Participating and nonparticipating businesses were compared on size, location, and type.

Informing Tobacco Cessation Benefit Use Interventions for Unionized Blue-Collar Workers: A Mixed-Methods Reasoned Action Approach.

Blue-collar workers typically have high rates of tobacco use but low rates of using tobacco cessation resources available through their health benefits. Interventions to motivate blue-collar tobacco users to use effective cessation support are needed. Reasoned action theory is useful in this regard as it can identify the beliefs that shape tobacco cessation benefit use intentions.

An examination of prenatal and postpartum depressive symptoms among women served by urban community health centers.

We characterized depressive symptoms in the prenatal and/or postpartum periods and examined associated risk factors among 594 women who received care at community health care centers. Women were screened with comprehensive risk assessments, which included the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 depression screen, during pregnancy and at least 4 weeks after delivery. Fifteen percent had depressive symptoms in the prenatal period only; 6 % in the postpartum period only, and 8 % had depressive symptoms in both periods.

Influencing Taft-Hartley Funds to provide tobacco cessation benefits.

Background: Taft-Hartley Health and Welfare Funds ("funds") administer health insurance plans that cover approximately nine million U.S. adults.

Receipt and redemption of cigarette coupons, perceptions of cigarette companies and smoking cessation.

Background: Although it is known that cigarette companies use cigarette coupons to market their products, little is known about the characteristics of those who receive these coupons. The influence of receipt and redemption of these coupons is also unknown.

Methods: Participants of the Minnesota Adult Tobacco Survey Cohort Study who were smokers in 2008, completed surveys in 2008 and 2009, and had smoked for at least 6 months between those surveys, were included.

Use of price-minimizing strategies by smokers and their effects on subsequent smoking behaviors.

Introduction: Use of cigarette price-minimizing strategies may reduce the effectiveness of cigarette excise taxes on the prevalence of smoking. We examined the use of different price-minimizing strategies by smokers and their associations with subsequent smoking behaviors.

Methods: Seven hundred eighteen current smokers from the Minnesota Adult Tobacco Survey Cohort Study provided information on the use of six different price-minimizing strategies in 2009; 602 of them were resurveyed in 2010 to assess their smoking behavior.

The association of maternal mental health with prenatal smoking cessation and postpartum relapse in a population-based sample.

To examine the association between mental health factors with smoking cessation during pregnancy and postpartum relapse. We used data from 1,416 women who participated in the Minnesota Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System survey in 2004-2006 and reported smoking immediately prior to pregnancy. Maternal mood during pregnancy, stressful life events and postpartum depression were the mental health variables.

Effectiveness of a smoking cessation program for peripheral artery disease patients: a randomized controlled trial.

Objectives: This study tested the effectiveness of a smoking cessation program designed for patients with peripheral artery disease (PAD).

Background: Tobacco use is the leading risk factor for PAD incidence and progression and for ischemic events. Tobacco cessation reduces PAD-related morbidity and mortality, yet few prospective clinical trials have evaluated smoking cessation interventions in PAD patients.

An evaluation of health benefit modification in Taft-Hartley health and welfare funds: implications for encouraging tobacco-cessation coverage.

Background: An estimated one fifth of all U.S. adult smokers receive health benefits through insurance plans administered by Taft-Hartley Health and Welfare Funds.

Increasing support for smoking cessation during pregnancy and postpartum: results of a randomized controlled pilot study.

Objectives: We examined the feasibility and effectiveness of an intervention to mobilize women in the social networks of pregnant smokers to support smoking cessation.

Methods: This study was conducted in St. Paul, Minnesota, and Columbus, Ohio, from 2005 through 2007.

The RealU online cessation intervention for college smokers: a randomized controlled trial.

Objectives: To determine the efficacy of providing online cessation intervention for college smokers.

Methods: This is a two-group randomized controlled trial. The intervention group received $10 weekly incentives to visit an online college life magazine that provided personalized smoking cessation messages and peer email support.

Strategies for increasing adherence to an online smoking cessation intervention for college students.

High rates of Internet use among young adults make online intervention with this population particularly attractive. However, low adherence rates limit the exposure to and the potential effectiveness of these programs. This study identifies strategies for increasing adherence by examining the rates of participation for a 5-week beta (pilot) version and final version of the RealU Web site, an online intervention for college smokers.

Feasibility of promoting smoking cessation in small worksites: an exploratory study.

The workplace is recognized as an appropriate site for smoking cessation efforts, but little is known about promoting cessation at smaller worksites. The goal of the present study was to identify strategies for promoting smoking cessation in worksites employing 10-100 workers. Qualitative interviews were conducted with 22 employers in small businesses in the manufacturing-labor and hospitality-service sectors; and eight focus groups were conducted with 59 smokers employed in these sectors.

Feasibility of Internet health screening to recruit college students to an online smoking cessation intervention.

Internet-based cessation programs are promising. However, little information exists on how to recruit college smokers to participate in online interventions. Two studies assessed the feasibility of Internet health screening as a recruitment strategy for college smokers.

Integrated tobacco cessation counseling in a diabetes self-management training program: a randomized trial of diabetes and reduction of tobacco.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of a tobacco cessation intervention using motivational interviewing on smoking cessation rates during diabetes self-management training (DSMT).

Methods: A randomized controlled trial was conducted with subjects recruited from an ongoing type 2 diabetes adult education program at a large diabetes center. A total of 114 subjects were randomized to intervention (n = 57; face-to-face motivational interviewing plus telephone counseling and offering of medication) or standard care (n = 57).

4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanol and its glucuronides in the urine of infants exposed to environmental tobacco smoke.

Biomarkers of carcinogen uptake could provide important information pertinent to the question of exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) in childhood and cancer development later in life. Previous studies have focused on exposures before birth and during childhood, but carcinogen uptake from ETS in infants has not been reported. Exposures in infants could be higher than in children or adults because of their proximity to parents who smoke.

How well does the health history form identify adolescent smokers?

Background: This study examines the accuracy of adolescents' reports of tobacco use on a health history form completed in the dental office and the relationship between these reports and cessation advice provided by dental professionals.

Methods: The authors compared reports of smoking status provided by adolescents during phone interviews with the adolescents' reports of smoking on a health history form completed during a dental visit. Adolescents aged between 14 and 17 years who were scheduled for a dental hygiene visit in a large managed care system were eligible for the study: 1162 completed the phone interview, and the study staff members audited the charts of a stratified random sample (n=280) of these.

The TEAM project: the effectiveness of smoking cessation intervention with hospital patients.

Background: This study evaluated the effectiveness of three smoking cessation interventions for this population: (1) modified usual care (UC); (2) brief advice (A); and (3) brief advice plus more extended counseling during and after hospitalization (A + C).

Methods: Smokers (2,095) who were in-patients in four hospitals were randomly assigned to condition. Smoking status was ascertained via phone interview 7 days and 12 months post-discharge.

Preparing residents to counsel about smoking.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of an innovative, multicomponent, theory-based educational intervention for pediatric residents on prevention of tobacco use counseling for cessation. Before and 3 months after intervention residents in a large urban midwestern pediatric residency program completed a self-assessment of measures of their attitudes and counseling behaviors. The intervention was a 3-hour multicomponent program including presentations, case discussions, role-plays and support material based on concepts from Motivational Interviewing (MI).

Predictors of quitting in hospitalized smokers.

Hospitalization represents a teachable moment for quitting. The current study examined predictors of quitting among hospitalized smokers. Patients reported smoking history and demographic characteristics during in-hospital baseline interviews.