UW Center for Tobacco Research and Intervention
For UW-CTRI Researcher Dr. Stevens Smith, methods of analyzing research data have changed tremendously since he first started working at UW-CTRI 24 years ago. “I’ve come full circle during my time here,” said Smith, a clinical psychologist and senior investigator who is now the UW-CTRI Director of Biostatistical Operations. “UW-CTRI’s research operations have greatly expanded since the 1990s, …
Researchers have found that nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) eases an inability to experience pleasure, especially shortly after quitting, according to a new paper published in Nicotine and Tobacco Research. UW-CTRI researcher Dr. Jessica Cook, the paper’s lead author, said this is another reason NRT should be an important tool used to combat withdrawal from smoking. Abstinence from …
Though smoking increases the risk for severe rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and can reduce the effectiveness of RA treatment, rheumatologists rarely provide smoking-cessation counseling with their patients, according to a new paper co-authored by UW-CTRI Associate Director of Research Dr. Megan Piper. The paper, published in the Journal of Clinical Rheumatology, looked at whether or not …
New research published in the journal Psychological Assessment may help researchers develop interventions to ease withdrawal in the moments smokers are experiencing them. People trying to quit smoking may feel they are on an emotional rollercoaster as they go through withdrawal, encounter stressful events, and deal with cravings to smoke. While peaks of agitation on that coaster …
A primary-care outpatient clinic in Wisconsin has begun testing an innovative system that allows clinicians to electronically refer smokers to the Wisconsin Tobacco Quit Line. The Gundersen Health System Clinic in Whitehall, Wisconsin is the first to use the system, featuring a “closed loop” of communication between the Quit Line and clinic staff via electronic health records (EHR). …
UW-CTRI staff working on the Breaking Addiction to Tobacco for Health (BREATHE) study are conducting qualitative research to understand how an innovative referral method is working in clinics. Clinic staff from Aurora Health Care and Dean clinics have been using electronic health records (EHR) to describe the quit-smoking study to patients who smoke and offer …
The Wisconsin Nicotine Treatment Integration Project (WiNTiP) last month honored co-founder and managing consultant David “Mac” Macmaster for his leadership, passion and tireless efforts to help people with behavioral health issues to quit tobacco use and live longer, healthier lives. UW-CTRI Director Dr. Michael Fiore presented the award to Macmaster during an event at the …
UW-CTRI continues to partner with Aurora Health Care and Dean Clinic throughout southern Wisconsin on Breaking Addiction to Tobacco for Health (BREATHE), the first study to test a chronic-care model for patients who relapse to smoking with a factorial study design. Under the project, UW-CTRI has worked with Epic Systems of Verona to modify the electronic health …
UW-CTRI outreach staff have continued to work alongside Wisconsin Oncology Network cancer centers to educate providers on how to help patients quit tobacco use. This project is made possible by funding from the UW Carbone Comprehensive Cancer Center. The partnership began in 2014 with a baseline survey of cancer clinics to assess their needs. Outreach …
A group of experts from around the country met at Epic Systems headquarters in Verona, Wisconsin last week to discuss plans to better design electronic health records (EHR) technology to help healthcare professionals help their patients quit smoking. UW-CTRI is partnering with Epic, the world’s largest EHR vendor, to incorporate this new tobacco-treatment system into …