Special Populations

Case studies, surveys and research showing how the tobacco industry markets their product to specfic groups.
  • Adaptation of the FLU-FOBT Program to Increase Colorectal Screening in Underserved Populations

    Offering a fecal occult blood test in conjunction with flu vaccination has proved successful in raising the rate of screening in various types of clinics, including a public health center in Chinatown, San Francisco. Further adaptations are being evaluated. The concepts and strategies tested in this project might be applicable to other health interventions, such as smoking cessation. In such cases, visits for vaccinations or other periodic clinical care services could offer opportunities for clinicians to address neglected problems.

    Lawrence Green, DrPH
    Professor of Epidemiology and Biostatistics
  • Addressing Tobacco through Organizational Change

    Tobacco dependence continues to be the single most preventable cause of morbidity and mortality in the United States. Persons entering drug abuse treatment smoke at 3-4 times the rate, and staff in publicly funded programs smoke at twice the rate, of the general population. Although the burden of illness and associated economic costs of nicotine addiction are elevated in the drug treatment population, treatment programs rarely address comorbid nicotine addiction.

    Joseph Guydish, PhD MPH
    Professor in Residence
  • Tobacco Marketing to Women

    Analyses of tobacco industry documents and advertisement archives focused on marketing research and advertising campaigns targeting women.

    Pamela Ling, MD MPH
    Associate Professor In Residence
  • Web Site for Smoking Cessation Trials

    This project includes a web-based smoking cessation resource for Spanish- and English-speaking smokers as well as a complementary project focused on LGBT smokers.  It also evaluates the feasibility of conducting randomized trials over the internet.  

    Ricardo Munoz, PhD
    Professor In Residence
  • California Vietnamese Adult Tobacco Use Survey

    This is a telephone survey funded by the California Tobacco Control Section to evaluate current smoking-related behaviors among Vietnamese Americans in California.  

    Tung Nguyen, MD
    Professor of Clinical Medicine
  • Latino Health Care with an Emphasis on Cancer Prevention

    Dr. Perez-Stable's research is focused on Latino health care with an emphasis on cancer prevention. 

    Eliseo Pérez-Stable, MD
    Professor of Medicine
  • Evaluation of Tobacco Treatment Strategies for Inpatient Psychiatry

    Individuals with mental illness or addictive disorders account for a staggering 44% to 46% of the US tobacco market. The overall goal of this research is to identify efficacious strategies for treating tobacco dependence among adult smokers hospitalized with severe mental illness.

    Jodi Prochaska, PhD MPH
    Adjunct Professor of Medicine, UCSF
    Associate Professor of Medicine, Stanford Prevention Research Center, Stanford Univ
  • Tobacco Industry Targeting of Gays and Lesbians

    Targeting of marginalized groups  

    Elizabeth Smith, PhD
    Associate Adjunct Professor
  • Economic Impact of Smoking for Persons with Mental Disorders

    The objective of this study is to examine smoking behavior and estimate the economic burden of smoking among California adults with mental disorders.  The proposal seeks to determine: (1) smoking prevalence rates and cigarette consumption per smoker among mentally ill adults, (2) healthcare costs of smoking among mentally ill adults, and (3) value of lost productivity from smoking-related diseases among mentally ill adults.  

    Hai-Yen Sung, PhD
    Adjunct Professor, Institute for Health & Aging
  • Smoking Cessation for Chinese Smokers

    Dr. Tsoh is conducting several projects to improve smoking cessation among Chinese smokers:

    Janice Tsoh, PhD
    Associate Adjunct Professor
  • Identification of Psychosocial Moderators and Mediators in Tobacco-Related Disparities

    The goal of this project is to identify psychosocial variables that may explain ethnic and sociodemographic disparities in tobacco use. This project employs both secondary analysis of epidemiological data and meta-analysis to identify potential variables, as well as quantify relationships.

    Anna Song, PhD
    Assistant Professor, University of California, Merced School of Social Sciences, Humanities, and Arts
  • Pharmacologic Basis of Racial Difference in Nicotine Dependence

    AA and EA smokers undergo detailed monitoring of smoking behavior, receive known doses of nicotine to establish nicotine metabolic rate, undergo DNA testing, and have their responses to not smoking for several hours studied. Exposure to carcinogens and other tobacco smoke toxins is also measured.  It is hypothesized that there are racial differences in metabolism that may explain different patterns of smoking, and that this in turn influences the reasons why smokers continue to self-administer nicotine (i.e., continue to smoke).

    Neal Benowitz, MD
    Professor of Medicine, Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences
  • Rate of Nicotine Metabolism and Withdrawal Symptoms in Adolescent Light Smokers

    The goal of this study was to examine the associations between the rate of nicotine metabolism and cigarette consumption, addiction and withdrawal symptoms.

    Mark Rubinstein, MD
    Assistant Adjunct Professor
  • Air Pollution and Respiratory Problems in Children

    Dr. Hammond is conducting several projects on determinants of the effects of air pollution on asthma and other respiratory problems in children. Her Fresno Asthmatic Children's Environmental Study (FACES) is a longitudinal cohort study. This study will determine if children with asthma who have adverse responses to short-term, daily increase in concentration of ambient air pollutants and bioaerosols are more likely to have increased long-term asthma morbidity and decreased lung function growth. Another study examines the respiratory effects of early life exposure to fine particles and other indoor air pollutants in the community of San Lorenzo, Guatemala.

    Katharine Hammond, PhD
    Professor of Environmental Health Sciences, UC Berkeley
  • African Americans: NRT or Alternative Medicine for Cessation

    This descriptive study consists of focus groups and survey development to explore among African American smokers perceived obstacles in the use of nicotine replacement therapy and to identify any uses of alternative medicines as aids to help them quit smoking.

    Valerie Yerger, ND
    Assistant Adjunct Professor