Vaping-Know the Truth: Evaluation of an Online Vaping Prevention Curriculum.

Background: Unacceptably high levels of e-cigarette use among youth paired with growing research about the dangers of vaping demonstrate a critical need to develop interventions that educate young people to reject e-cigarette use and promote cessation for current users. Vaping: Know the Truth (VKT) is a free digital learning experience prioritizing middle and high school students that aims to improve students' knowledge about the dangers of using e-cigarettes and provide quitting resources for those who already vape. The current study was designed to evaluate whether students receiving the curriculum increased knowledge of the dangers of vaping.

Online Versus Telephone Registration: Differences in Quitline Participant Characteristics.

Introduction: Although 72% of Internet users have searched for health information, online quitline registration is not universally available. In 2014, QUITPLAN Services (Minnesota's quitline) added options (Individual Services: 2-week nicotine-replacement therapy starter kit, text messaging, e-mail messaging, quit guide) to the existing Helpline (telephone counseling, nicotine-replacement therapy, integrated e-mails and texts, quit guide) and online registration for all programs. Demographic and quit outcome differences by registration mode (online versus telephone) and program type (Individual Services versus Helpline) were examined.

Utilizing Reach Ratios to Assess Menthol Cigarette Smoker Enrollment in Quitline Services.

Introduction: Increasing the reach of evidence-based cessation services is a longstanding public health priority, especially for subgroups who may be most at risk. Little research has examined whether quitlines are reaching menthol cigarette smokers who may have increased difficulty quitting compared with nonmenthol cigarette smokers. This study aims to understand whether quitline services are reaching menthol cigarette smokers.

Perceived harm of menthol cigarettes and quitting behaviors among menthol smokers in Minnesota.

Although overall smoking prevalence in Minnesota has declined, the proportion of current smokers who smoke menthol cigarettes has increased. While studies have examined associations between smokers' perceived risks of smoking and quitting, similar studies on menthol smoking are lacking. This study examined whether perceived harm of menthol cigarettes was associated with menthol smokers' quitting behaviors.

Local sales restrictions significantly reduce the availability of menthol tobacco: findings from four Minnesota cities.

Background: In 2017 and 2018, Minneapolis, St. Paul, Duluth and Falcon Heights, Minnesota were among the first US cities to restrict the sale of menthol tobacco to adult-only stores. The study examined changes in the availability and marketing of these products following policy implementation.

Replicating state Quitline innovations to increase reach: findings from three states.

Background: Reaching tobacco users is a persistent challenge for quitlines. In 2014, ClearWay Minnesota changed its quitline services and media campaign, and observed substantial increases in reach and strong quit outcomes. Oklahoma and Florida implemented the same changes in 2015 and 2016.

Changing patterns in E-cigarette use among Minnesota adults between 2014 and 2018.

Minnesota has observed declining combustible tobacco use and a large increase in e-cigarette use among youth and young adults. Less is known about adult e-cigarette users' frequency of use, smoking status, use of flavors, and demographic differences. The Minnesota Adult Tobacco Survey (MATS) is a cross-sectional, random digit-dial telephone survey representative of Minnesotans aged 18 and over.

Engaging Smokeless Tobacco Users in Population-Based Cessation Services: Findings From an Observational Study.

Although telephone quitlines are effective for helping smokeless tobacco (ST) users quit, ST users are underrepresented among quitline participants. After ClearWay MinnesotaSM implemented multiple changes to its quitline service (QUITPLAN® Services), utilization increased dramatically, including by ST users. We examined data from Minnesota and Wisconsin to determine whether these changes were unique to Minnesota.

Impact and Effectiveness of a Stand-Alone NRT Starter Kit in a Statewide Tobacco Cessation Program.

Purpose: To examine 2-week nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) starter kit quit outcomes and predictors and the impact of adding this new service on treatment reach.

Design: Observational study of a 1-year cohort of QUITPLAN Services enrollees using registration and utilization data and follow-up outcome survey data of a subset of enrollees who received NRT starter kits.

Setting: ClearWay Minnesota's QUITPLAN Services provides a quit line that is available to uninsured and underinsured Minnesotans and NRT starter kits (a free 2-week supply of patches, gum, or lozenges) that are available to all Minnesota tobacco users.

E-cigarette use among treatment-seeking smokers: Moderation of abstinence by use frequency.

Introduction: Emerging literature suggests that frequency of use of electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) may be an important moderating variable in the relationship between e-cigarette use and smoking cessation. However, few studies have focused specifically on treatment-seekers, a group that may differ in important ways from smokers in the general population. This study looks at the relationship between e-cigarette use frequency and abstinence among a sample of treatment-seeking tobacco users.

Increasing reach by offering choices: Results from an innovative model for statewide services for smoking cessation.

Although state quitlines provide free telephone counseling and often include nicotine replacement therapy (NRT), reach remains limited (1-2% in most states). More needs to be done to engage all smokers in the quitting process. A possible strategy is to offer choices of cessation services through quitlines and to reduce registration barriers.

Tobacco User Characteristics and Outcomes Related to Intensity of Quitline Program Use: Results From Minnesota and Pennsylvania.

Context: Tobacco users in all 50 states have access to quitline telephone counseling and cessation medications. While studies show multiple calls relate to quit success, most participants do not complete a full call series. To date, quitline program use studies have analyzed single factors-such as number of calls or counseling minutes.

The Effect of Survey Nonresponse on Quitline Abstinence Rates: Implications for Practice.

Introduction: Quitline outcome studies are used to maintain and improve the effectiveness of these evidence-based cessation services. Nonresponse has the potential to bias survey results and many US and Canadian quitlines are reporting survey response rates below 50%. This study examines the effect of nonresponse bias on quit rates in three state quitline populations.

Cessation outcomes among treatment-seeking menthol and nonmenthol smokers.

Background: Menthol cigarettes account for 25% of the market in the U.S. The Food and Drug Administration currently is considering regulatory action on tobacco products, including a ban on menthol cigarettes.

Outcomes and cost-effectiveness of two nicotine replacement treatment delivery models for a tobacco quitline.

Many tobacco cessation quitlines provide nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) in the U.S. but consensus is lacking regarding the best shipping protocol or NRT amounts.

HADStress: a somatic symptom screen for posttraumatic stress among Somali refugees.

Objective: This study assessed whether a simple, readily implemented four-symptom somatic screen would be able to effectively identify current posttraumatic stress symptoms in victimized populations.

Methods: The sample consisted of 622 Somali community-dwelling refugees who fled widespread violence and trauma occurring in East Africa during 1990-1992. Data were collected during 2000-2003 and included demographic characteristics, number of types of torture and nontorture trauma experienced earlier in Africa, and current self-rated posttraumatic stress symptoms, as measured by the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist (PCL).

HADStress screen for posttraumatic stress: replication in ethiopian refugees.

Purpose was to assess whether a 4-symptom somatic screen, shown to correlate with current post-traumatic stress symptoms in 1 refugee group, could function as a screening instrument in another group of refugees. Sample consisted of 512 community-dwelling refugees from Ethiopia. Data collection included demography, types of torture and nontorture trauma experienced a decade earlier in Africa, and current posttraumatic stress symptoms.