Smoke-Free Policy Support for Smoking Cessation

Overseen By Narine Malcolm, MEd

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: Columbia University

Disqualifiers: Severe medical conditions, Focus group participants, others

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 6

512 Participants Needed

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This project seeks to determine the effectiveness of two types of interventions to reduce exposure to secondhand smoke in residential buildings. One intervention is geared toward all building residents (resident endorsement) and the other targets smokers (smoking reduction via relocation and reduction in personal smoking/cessation) with the goal of reducing personal smoking and secondhand smoke exposure.

Who Is on the Research Team?

Diana Hernández, PhD

Principal Investigator

Associate Professor

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for adults over 18 living in certain NYCHA buildings in Manhattan and the Bronx, who are there at least 5 days a week and not moving within two years. Smokers and non-smokers can join but must not have severe health issues that affect consent or participation.

Inclusion Criteria

I'm sorry, but this is not a clinical trial exclusion criterion. Can you please provide me with the correct criterion so I can rewrite it for you?

I am either a smoker or a non-smoker living in an apartment.

I have smoked at least 5 days in the past month or quit smoking more than a year ago.

Exclusion Criteria

Buildings in a borough that is not in Manhattan or the Bronx

The building is only for elderly people.

Buildings smaller than 50 units

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Intervention

Participants receive interventions aimed at reducing personal smoking and secondhand smoke exposure through resident endorsement and smoking cessation/relocation programs.

12 months

Baseline (in-person), 3 months (phone), 12 months (in-person)

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for changes in smoking behavior and secondhand smoke exposure.

12 months

Baseline (in-person), 3 months (phone), 12 months (in-person)

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• Reduction (relocation and reduction of personal smoking) and cessation
• Relocation & Cessation
• Resident Endorsement

Trial Overview The study tests two strategies to cut down secondhand smoke: one encourages all residents to support smoke-free policies (resident endorsement), while the other helps smokers reduce or quit smoking by changing where they smoke.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: Compliance through resident endorsement Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Buildings assigned will be targeted for a series of 2 in-residence programs that involve community forums and the creative arts to garner resident endorsements of smoke-free living environments. Premised on resident engagement, this arm seeks to impact social and physical dimensions of the residential environment to achieve compliance. The sessions will: 1) inform residents of risks associated with smoking and secondhand smoke; 2) identify reasons to have a smoke-free home, 3) ask residents to sign a pledge on paper and/or virtually; 4) display smoke-free signage on doors and/or social media pages with an original hashtag (#Smokefree\[building address\]); and 5) refer residents to the Smoke-free NYCHA website for information on the policy and existing cessation resources.

Group II: Compliance through reduction/cessation plus resident endorsement (combined) Experimental Treatment 2 Interventions

The combined intervention will be carried out in the buildings assigned to this RCT arm, which will provide in-residence programs based on the resident endorsement treatment and the smoking relocation/cessation treatment. Both will occur simultaneously with one geared toward all building residents (resident endorsement) and the other targeting smokers (smoking relocation/cessation) with the goal of reducing both personal smoking and secondhand smoke exposure.

Group III: Compliance through reduction (relocation and reduction of personal smoking) and cessation Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Smokers will be referred by the survey team to peer educators from a community-based organization trained to provide peer to peer health education including tobacco cessation support. The peer educator will coordinate smoking cessation support, including serving as a liaison between participant and research team, providing information regarding the smoke-free policy and opportunities for relocation, and connecting participant to access to tobacco replacement therapy and/or physician support if deemed appropriate.

Group IV: Standard NYCHA approach (control) Active Control 1 Intervention

Buildings and study participants assigned to this arm will be recruited and followed over a 12-month period to assess outcomes. No additional programs or services will be delivered to the buildings or residents assigned to this arm beyond standard programs that NYCHA may provide to support the smoke-free mandate. Field staff will document any policy-related signage, activities or information to which these participants are exposed.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

Columbia University

Lead Sponsor

Trials

1,529

Recruited

2,832,000+

National Cancer Institute (NCI)

Collaborator

Trials

14,080

Recruited

41,180,000+