ASU, University of Wisconsin partner to empower Black people to quit smoking

Arizona State University faculty at the College of Health Solutions are teaming up with the University of Wisconsin to determine which treatments work best to empower Black people to quit smoking.

In Phoenix, 11.8% of all Black residents are smokers, 70% of whom say they want to quit and 60% of whom attempt every year.

Stephanie Marita Carpenter, an assistant professor at the College of Health Solutions, is a co-investigator on the project and the ASU site lead who will oversee study data collection in Phoenix. Carpenter is an expert in the development and testing of engaging health behavior change interventions.

“Considerable tobacco-related health disparities exist for Black adults across the United States, including in Arizona,” Carpenter said.

According to the American Lung Association, more than 75% of Black adult smokers use menthol cigarettes, which is three times higher than white smokers. Menthol cigarettes are also easier to get addicted to and harder to quit.

This study will examine the effects of three treatment packages for 1,500 Black adults who want to quit smoking across metropolitan areas with elevated smoking rates among Black adults in Arizona, Indiana, Kansas, Virginia and Wisconsin.

“Our multistate team is well suited to address the critical need for more accessible and engaging smoking cessation programs that better meet the interests and needs of Black communities,” Carpenter said.

The first package provides four counseling sessions and two weeks of nicotine patches, similar to a state quitline program. The second package increases the sessions to eight culturally specific counseling sessions (virtual or in person) and eight weeks of nicotine packages, as well as a video designed to help Black adults quit smoking. The third package is similar to the second but offers an additional $50 to incentivize participants to attend the counseling sessions.

The five-year-long research study is funded by a $10 million award from the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) to the University of Wisconsin, led by Megan Piper, co-director of research at the UW Center for Tobacco Research and Intervention (UW-CTRI) and Dr. Hasmeena Kathuria, director of UW-CTRI.

“Research has shown that Black adults want to quit smoking, so let’s make sure they have access to treatments that work for them,” Piper said.

The goal of the study is to see if culturally specific intervention packages will increase the quit rate among Black adults relative to standard practices. The reason for the three packages is that individual aspects of each package are effective quitting methods among Black adults, and were identified as especially promising through feedback from the study’s community advisory board.

“I am delighted to be part of this outstanding team,” Carpenter said. “We are seeking to address smoking-related health inequities by identifying effective cessation interventions that will help Black adults quit smoking in Arizona and beyond.”