Community Research
The Helpers Program is based on two decades of research.
Helpers’ Foundational Research
The development of the Helpers Program is founded on its formative research completed by the Department of Family & Community Medicine at the University of Arizona College of Medicine. A wide array of research projects, spanning over two decades, have all contributed models and findings to the program; projects with different designs targeting differing audiences. The following research projects have all been incorporated into the Helpers Program in some fashion. A brief description of each project, along with some published findings, is presented for your review.
Helpers for Behavioral Health
Tobacco Cessation Brief Intervention Training for Behavioral Health
2017 - 2019
Funded by Arizona Biomedical Research Center
Helpers for Behavioral Health was designed to adapt the existing Helpers tobacco cessation training program to prepare behavioral health professionals and peer mental health mentors to motivate their clients to engage in evidence-based tobacco cessation treatment and implement clinical practice changes to support cessation. This study evaluated the feasibility and acceptability of the implemented clinical system intervention changes through the use of surveys, interviews, and insurance claims data collection. The Helpers for Behavioral Health study showed the clinical system intervention had a positive impact on both culture and clinical practice of the agencies and individual staff.
Helpers Stay Quit
Effect of Helpers Program On-Line Training on Smoking Relapse and Social Networks
2015 - 2018
Funded by the National Cancer Institute
Helpers Stay Quit was designed to adapt the existing Helpers tobacco cessation training program for relapse prevention use with newly-abstinent smokers who quit following utilizing services from a quitline. This study evaluated the feasibility and acceptability of the Helpers relapse prevention intervention through the use of delivery of Helping Conversations, reports of abstinence and relapse, and the completion of a Social Network Analysis. The Helpers Stay Quit study showed the relapse prevention intervention led to an increased likelihood of maintaining abstinence.
CAM Web
Online Tobacco Cessation Training & Competency Assessment for CAM Practitioners
2013 - 2015
Funded by the National Cancer Institute
CAM Web was designed to introduce the brief intervention model of tobacco cessation, typically utilized by only conventional medical professionals, into the community of complementary and alternative medicine practitioners (e.g. chiropractors, acupuncturists, and massage therapists) through a web-based training methodology. This study evaluated the feasibility of the web-based brief intervention training, along with its effects on practitioner knowledge, self-efficacy, and competency with tobacco cessation. The CAM Web study showed the feasibility of a web-based training protocol on increasing practitioner use of brief interventions for tobacco cessation.
CAM REACH
Tobacco Cessation Training for Acupuncture, Massage, and Chiropractic Practitioners
2009 - 2014
Funded by the National Cancer Institute
CAM REACH was designed to introduce the brief intervention model of tobacco cessation, typically utilized by only conventional medical professionals, into the community of complementary and alternative medicine practitioners (e.g. chiropractors, acupuncturists, and massage therapists). This study evaluated the efficacy of the brief intervention training on CAM practitioners’ tobacco-related practice behaviors. The CAM REACH study showed that the brief intervention training increased tobacco-use screenings, delivery of brief interventions, use of guideline-based treatments, and quit rates.
PUBLICATIONS:
PARENT
Parents Awareness Reducing Exposure to Nicotine and Tobacco
2008 - 2010
Funded by the National Cancer Institute
PARENT was designed to introduce the brief intervention model of tobacco cessation into childcare centers using a system-wide intervention model in order to educate both parents and other caregivers around tobacco cessation. This study evaluated the feasibility of the implemented system-wide intervention changes on smoking cessation education, household smoking rates, and children’s exposure to secondhand smoke. The PARENT study showed the system-wide intervention had a positive impact on reducing household smoking rates and children’s exposure to secondhand smoke.
Free & Clear
2008
Funded by the National Cancer Institute
Free & Clear was designed to introduce the existing Helpers tobacco cessation training program into a workplace wellness program through web-based methodologies as a support to an existing telephonic and web-based cessation service. This study evaluated the feasibility and acceptability of the implemented web-based Helpers training for employees utilizing their workplace wellness program. The Free & Clear study showed that employees will participate in the web-based training, will encourage others to quit smoking, and will refer smokers to quitline and workplace wellness program services.
Mississippi CARE for Kids
Brief Tobacco Intervention Training in Childcare Centers
2005 - 2007
Funded by the National Cancer Institute
Mississippi CARE for Kids was designed to introduce the brief intervention model of tobacco cessation into childcare centers using a feasibility intervention model in order to educate both parents and child care workers around tobacco cessation. This study evaluated the feasibility of the implemented intervention changes on smoking cessation attitudes, children’s exposure to secondhand smoke, and child care workers’ use of brief interventions. The Mississippi CARE for Kids study showed the intervention had a positive impact on increasing the likelihood of child care workers’ use of brief interventions around tobacco cessation leading to a reduction in children’s exposure to secondhand smoke.
REACH
Community Based Training Models for Tobacco Cessations
2002 - 2006
Funded by the National Cancer Institute
Project REACH was designed to introduce the brief intervention model of tobacco cessation, typically only utilized by conventional medical professionals, into the community of lay people influencers who had a desire to help others quit tobacco. This study evaluated the efficacy of providing brief intervention training to lay people through conventional in-person classroom settings compared to multimedia web-based utilization. The Project REACH study showed that the brief intervention training for lay people influencers is able to increase knowledge, self-efficacy, and intervention behavior, and that exposure to messages about cessation will encourage lay people influencers to deliver brief interventions.
STAR
Service Tobacco Addiction Reduction
2001 - 2005
Funded by the Department of Defense
STAR was designed to introduce a comprehensive tobacco cessation training and treatment protocol into military installations in order to influence enlisted personnel, supervisors, clinicians, and installation culture towards tobacco cessation. This study evaluated the feasibility and effectiveness of the protocol on knowledge, skills, abilities, attitudes and behaviors around tobacco cessation. The STAR study showed the intervention protocol had a positive impact on both installation culture and personal behaviors around tobacco cessation.