UW-CTRI has recently completed four studies, with data under analysis for dissemination.
- Smoking Treatment for Oncology Patients (STOP Cancer). UW-CTRI reached out directly to more than 500 UW Carbone Cancer Center patients who smoked to let them know about their tobacco treatment options. Patients were invited to join a research study comparing two active treatments to see which helped more people with cancer to quit smoking. The short-term goals of the STOP Cancer Study were to identify specific smoking treatment needs of patients living with cancer and then to adapt smoking cessation treatment outreach and counseling to address those needs. People who consented to enter the STOP Cancer Study were randomized to a standard care condition offering three counseling calls and two weeks of nicotine patch, or to an enhanced condition offering seven counseling calls tailored to cancer challenges with 12 weeks of varenicline, a non-nicotine pill to see which active treatment helped more people quit smoking. Patients not interested in the study got standard treatment from the Wisconsin Tobacco Quit Line or mobile health tools from SmokeFree.gov. The long-term objective of this work was to identify promising strategies to evaluate in larger-scale trials and then disseminate to cancer programs. This was part of the larger UW-CTRI effort to improve cessation treatment effectiveness and delivery for patients living with cancer. They found this proactive, opt-out approach to be feasible, sustainable and scalable. August 2023-July 2025, $510,000. Funded by the UW Carbone Cancer Center Head & Neck Cancer SPORE (Specialized Programs of Research Excellence) via the National Cancer Institute, NIH. Dr. Danielle McCarthy, PI.
- Breaking Addiction to Tobacco for Health 2 (BREATHE 2). As part of their fifth consecutive, five-year NIH Center grant, researchers at the University of Wisconsin compared the most effective treatments to help people quit smoking in real-world clinics, with a goal of tailoring and optimizing help to people who smoke. UW-CTRI partnered with health systems to treat more than 4,000 clinic patients. They contacted patients who smoked per the electronic health records to help those who are ready to quit and to motivate those who aren’t. About 25 million people who smoke in America make a primary care visit each year, but only about five percent of people who smoke who try to quit use the cessation counseling and medication we know can help. In this study, the research team contacted them and offered these treatments. May 2019-May 2025, $12.5 million. Funded by the National Cancer Institute, NIH. Drs. Timothy Baker and Michael Fiore, PIs.
- Treating Nicotine Addiction in Caregivers of Children at American Family Children’s Hospital. The study team made nicotine-replacement medications and coaching available to parents who smoked during their children’s hospital stay. The very acute goal was to keep parents at the bedside to support their children, limit or eliminate leaving bedside to smoke outside and thereby reduce third-hand smoke exposure for child inpatients and their care team. To date, there was limited evidence on how to effectively intervene with caregivers who smoke during a child’s hospitalization. The study team offered this support to parents at American Family Children’s Hospital, treating up to 50 adults while supplies lasted. Following consent, participants completed a pre-intervention survey on a study tablet using well-established, validated smoking-assessment questions. Participants received $20 for completing the initial survey. They received another $20 for completing a second survey at discharge. The study team followed up with parents via phone two weeks later to encourage a smoke-free policy in their cars and homes, to offer support for quitting smoking and to answer final survey questions for an additional $20. October 2023-September 2024, $15,871. Funded by the University of Wisconsin Department of Pediatrics Faculty R&D Grant. Dr. Brian Williams, PI.
- Veteran Smokers Health Study. The US Department of Veterans Affairs awarded a Merit Award to Dr. Jessica Cook to evaluate a chronic care smoking intervention designed to help Veterans who are initially not ready to quit smoking. The study (N=503), which was conducted at the Madison VA, compared a chronic care intervention (designed to motivate and prepare veterans to make quit attempts) with a standard care intervention (involving one offer of a cessation treatment per year). The chronic care intervention involved providing repeated motivational interventions and interpersonal support over the two-year study period while offering treatment options for those ready (and not ready) to quit. The study, implemented by VA researchers Elana Brubaker and Kirsten Webster, used proactive outreach to recruit Veterans whose medical records indicated they used tobacco. It involved remote treatment delivery to help reach veterans living in rural areas. They completed data collection and the study team plans to conduct analyses to determine whether chronic care increases quit attempts, treatment use and abstinence relative to standard care. January 2019-September 2025, $1 million. Funded by the VA. Dr. Jess Cook, PI.