Studies to examine tobacco issues among workers, hospital patients, American Indian Nations

MINNEAPOLIS, Jan. 18, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- At its meeting on January 18, ClearWay Minnesota's Board of Directors approved three grants for new research. The organization will award more than $1.8 million to Minnesota researchers through these grants.

"Science is the backbone of our work at ClearWay Minnesota," said Chief Executive Officer David Willoughby. "The research funded by these grants has the potential to improve the efforts of our organization, and those of others, to reduce the devastating harm tobacco causes the people of Minnesota."

Three research grants, totaling $1,851,727, were awarded to:

• Public Health Law Center, for Increasing the Use of Smoking Cessation Benefits by Unionized Blue-Collar and Service Sector Workers – This three-year research project, not to exceed $750,000, will test ways of increasing use of smoking cessation treatments by workers receiving health care benefits through Minnesota-based Taft-Hartley Health and Welfare funds. Principal Investigators are Susan Weisman, J.D., and Rod Skoog.
• Mayo Clinic, for Using Telephone Quitlines to Help Hospitalized Patients Quit Smoking – This is a three-year research award not to exceed $726,727. The project will determine if phone quitlines can be an effective tool for helping hospitalized cigarette smokers quit. Principal Investigator is David Warner, M.D.
• American Indian Cancer Foundation, for American Indian Systems for Tobacco Addiction Treatment – This three-year research award, not to exceed $375,000, will fund integration of tobacco interventions into health care visits in three American Indian clinics. Principal Investigator is Kristine Rhodes, M.P.H.  

"These grants could help us find breakthroughs in the communities most harmed by tobacco, and capitalize on existing opportunities to help smokers quit," said Willoughby.

About ClearWay Minnesota(SM)

ClearWay Minnesota is an independent nonprofit organization that improves the health of Minnesotans by reducing the harm caused by tobacco. ClearWay Minnesota serves Minnesota through its grant-making program, QUITPLAN® stop-smoking services and statewide outreach activities. It is funded with 3 percent of the state's 1998 tobacco settlement. For more information on ClearWay Minnesota or QUITPLAN Services, call 952-767-1400 or visit clearwaymn.org.

 

SOURCE ClearWay Minnesota

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