Browsing by Subject "smoking"

Now showing 1 - 5 of 5
  • Thumbnail Image
    ItemOpen Access
    A case-control study of airways obstruction among construction workers.
    (Am J Ind Med, 2015-10) Dement, John; Welch, Laura; Ringen, Knut; Quinn, Patricia; Chen, Anna; Haas, Scott
    BACKGROUND: While smoking is the major cause of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), occupational exposures to vapors, gases, dusts, and fumes (VGDF) increase COPD risk. This case-control study estimated the risk of COPD attributable to occupational exposures among construction workers. METHODS: The study population included 834 cases and 1243 controls participating in a national medical screening program for older construction workers between 1997 and 2013. Qualitative exposure indices were developed based on lifetime work and exposure histories. RESULTS: Approximately 18% (95% CI = 2-24%) of COPD risk can be attributed to construction-related exposures, which are additive to the risk contributed by smoking. A measure of all VGDF exposures combined was a strong predictor of COPD risk. CONCLUSIONS: Construction workers are at increased risk of COPD as a result of broad and complex effects of many exposures acting independently or interactively. Control methods should be implemented to prevent worker exposures, and smoking cessation should be promoted.
  • Thumbnail Image
    ItemOpen Access
    A Smoking Cessation Mobile App for Persons Living With HIV: Preliminary Efficacy and Feasibility Study.
    (JMIR formative research, 2022-08) Schnall, Rebecca; Liu, Jianfang; Alvarez, Gabriella; Porras, Tiffany; Ganzhorn, Sarah; Boerner, Samantha; Huang, Ming-Chun; Trujillo, Paul; Cioe, Patricia

    Background

    The prevalence of smoking in the United States general population has gradually declined to the lowest rate ever recorded; however, this has not been true for persons with HIV.

    Objective

    We conducted a pilot test to assess the feasibility and efficacy of the Lumme Quit Smoking mobile app and smartwatch combination with sensing capabilities to improve smoking cessation in persons with HIV.

    Methods

    A total of 40 participants were enrolled in the study and randomly assigned 1:1 to the control arm, which received an 8-week supply of nicotine replacement therapy, a 30-minute smoking cessation counseling session, and weekly check-in calls with study staff, or to the intervention arm, which additionally received the Lumme Quit Smoking app and smartwatch.

    Results

    Of the 40 participants enrolled, 37 completed the follow-up study assessments and 16 used the app every day during the 56-day period. During the 6-month recruitment and enrollment period, 122 people were screened for eligibility, with 67.2% (82/122) deemed ineligible. Smoking criteria and incompatible tech were the major reasons for ineligibility. There was no difference in the proportion of 7-day point prevalence abstinence by study arm and no significant decrease in exhaled carbon monoxide for the intervention and control arms separately. However, the average exhaled carbon monoxide decreased over time when analyzing both arms together (P=.02).

    Conclusions

    Results suggest excellent feasibility and acceptability of using a smoking sensor app among this smoking population. The knowledge gained from this research will enable the scientific community, clinicians, and community stakeholders to improve tobacco cessation outcomes for persons with HIV.

    Trial registration

    ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04808609; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04808609.
  • Thumbnail Image
    ItemOpen Access
    COVID-19-Associated Mortality in US Veterans with and without SARS-CoV-2 Infection.
    (International journal of environmental research and public health, 2021-08-11) Suzuki, Ayako; Efird, Jimmy T; Redding, Thomas S; Thompson, Andrew D; Press, Ashlyn M; Williams, Christina D; Hostler, Christopher J; Hunt, Christine M

    Background

    We performed an observational Veterans Health Administration cohort analysis to assess how risk factors affect 30-day mortality in SARS-CoV-2-infected subjects relative to those uninfected. While the risk factors for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) have been extensively studied, these have been seldom compared with uninfected referents.

    Methods

    We analyzed 341,166 White/Black male veterans tested for SARS-CoV-2 from March 1 to September 10, 2020. The relative risk of 30-day mortality was computed for age, race, ethnicity, BMI, smoking status, and alcohol use disorder in infected and uninfected subjects separately. The difference in relative risk was then evaluated between infected and uninfected subjects. All the analyses were performed considering clinical confounders.

    Results

    In this cohort, 7% were SARS-CoV-2-positive. Age >60 and overweight/obesity were associated with a dose-related increased mortality risk among infected patients relative to those uninfected. In contrast, relative to never smoking, current smoking was associated with a decreased mortality among infected and an increased mortality in uninfected, yielding a reduced mortality risk among infected relative to uninfected. Alcohol use disorder was also associated with decreased mortality risk in infected relative to the uninfected.

    Conclusions

    Age, BMI, smoking, and alcohol use disorder affect 30-day mortality in SARS-CoV-2-infected subjects differently from uninfected referents. Advanced age and overweight/obesity were associated with increased mortality risk among infected men, while current smoking and alcohol use disorder were associated with lower mortality risk among infected men, when compared with those uninfected.
  • Thumbnail Image
    ItemOpen Access
    For better or for worse: Spousal concordance in health behavior change
    (2008-02) Falba, Tracy; Sindelar, Jody L
    Objective. This study examines the degree to which a married individual’s health habits and use of preventive medical care are influenced by his or her spouse’s behaviors. Study Design. Using longitudinal data on individuals and their spouses, we examine changes over time in the health habits of each person as a function of changes in his or her spouse’s health habits. Specifically, we analyze changes in smoking, drinking, exercising, cholesterol screening, and obtaining a flu shot. Data Source. This study uses data from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS), a nationally representative sample of individuals born between 1931 and 1941 and their spouses. Beginning in 1992, 12,652 persons (age-eligible individuals as well as their spouses) from 7,702 households were surveyed about many aspects of their life, including health behaviors, use of preventive services, and disease diagnosis. Sample. The analytic sample includes 6,072 individuals who are married at the time of the initial HRS survey and who remain married and in the sample at the time of the 1996 and 2000 waves. Principal Findings. We consistently find that when one spouse improves his or her behavior, the other spouse is likely to do so as well. This is found across all the behaviors analyzed, and persists despite controlling for many other factors. Conclusions. Simultaneous changes occur in a number of health behaviors. This conclusion has prescriptive implications for developing interventions, treatments, and policies to improve health habits and for evaluating the impact of such measures.
  • Thumbnail Image
    ItemOpen Access
    "I already know that smoking ain't good for me": Patient and Clinician Perspectives on Lung Cancer Screening Decision-Making Discussions as a Teachable Moment.
    (Chest, 2020-04-15) Golden, Sara E; Ono, Sarah S; Melzer, Anne; Davis, James; Zeliadt, Steven B; Heffner, Jaimee L; Kathuria, Hasmeena; Garcia-Alexander, Ginny; Slatore, Christopher G
    BACKGROUND:Lung cancer screening (LCS) is now recommended for people at high risk of dying of lung cancer. RESEARCH QUESTION:The purpose of this study was to use the LCS decision discussion as a case study to understand possible underlying components of a teachable moment to enhance motivation for smoking cessation. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS:The study investigated how patients and clinicians communicate about smoking. In-depth, semi-structured interviews were performed of the experiences of 51 individuals who formerly or currently smoked who were offered LCS and 24 clinicians. Only the baseline interviews were used because including the follow-up interviews would have been beyond the scope of this article. The interviews focused on communication about smoking, the perceived importance of discussing smoking and screening together, and patients' perceived challenges to smoking cessation. RESULTS:Patients and clinicians differed in their views on the role of the LCS decision discussion as a teachable moment. Although clinicians felt that this discussion was a good opportunity to positively influence smoking behaviors, neither patients nor clinicians perceived the discussion as a teachable moment affecting smoking behaviors. Other motivating factors for smoking cessation were found. INTERPRETATION:Our findings indicate that LCS decision discussions are not currently a teachable moment for behavior change in smoking cessation, but perhaps clinicians could address other aspects of communication to enhance motivation for cessation. Our hypothesized teachable moment model helps explain that there may not be sufficient emotional response elicited during the discussion to motivate a major behavior change such as smoking cessation.