Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Increasing Awareness Of Pharmacologic Interventions For Smoking Cessation, Jeremy Frank

Family Medicine Clerkship Student Projects

Smoking is a large cause of morbidity and mortality in the healthcare system. Many patients are interested in quitting smoking but have not found an effective strategy that works for them. There have been times when patients have been receptive to a discussion regarding medication assisted cessation but ultimately were not prescribed any medications from their provider. Despite the fact that it has been proven that pharmacotherapy increases the chances of smoking cessation. The goal of this community health project is to create a change within the healthcare system by providing evidenced based recommendations regarding pharmacologic treatment in smoking cessation …

Improving Identification Of Ldct Lung Cancer Screening Eligible Patients, Mckenna L. Schimmel

Family Medicine Clerkship Student Projects

USPSTF updated lung cancer screening guidelines this year to include all patients 50-80 years old who have 20+ pack years of smoking history and are active smokers or who have quit within the last 15 years. While providers and patients both support lung cancer screening efforts, only a small fraction of eligible patients end up getting screened annually. One way we can improve this metric is by making sure we are correctly identifying which patients meet screening criteria.

Exploring Weight Control Expectancies As A Mediator Of The Relationship Between Fear Of Fat And Nicotine Dependence In Smokers And Vapers, Emily Pomichter

Graduate College Dissertations and Theses

Specific drug-use expectancies are shaped by reports from others about the effects of the drug, by an individual’s own experience with the drug, or by both. The present study hypothesized that, among smokers and e-cigarette users (vapers), an individual’s fear of weight gain would be associated with higher endorsement of appetite and weight control expectancies from nicotine use, which in turn would be associated with self-reported levels of nicotine dependence. The participants were smokers (n = 514) and vapers (n = 412) who responded to a Qualtrics survey advertised via Amazon’s Mechanical Turk platform. As predicted, nicotine’s appetite and weight …

Genitourinary Effects Of Smoking In Men: An Alternative Approach To Smoking Cessation Through Patient Education, Michael J. Lawrence

Family Medicine Clerkship Student Projects

Smoking remains a prominent problem in Vermont, especially outside Chittenden County. The genitourinary effects of smoking tend to be poorly appreciated among patients. This presents an opportunity for further patient education and incentivization to quit. This project focused on the genitourinary effects of smoking in men, specifically highlighting how smoking increases risk of bladder cancer, poorer outcomes in prostate cancer, and a higher risk of erectile dysfunction. The project culminated in creation of an educational poster intended for display in patient bathrooms in a medical setting.

Smoking Cessation Patient Intervention In Connecticut Primary Care Clinic, Fay Abdullah

Family Medicine Clerkship Student Projects

Cigarette smoking is associated with numerous adverse health effects. As such, USPSTF recommends clinicians provide smoking cessation interventions to patients. The aim of this project is to develop a consistent method for providing patients at the Newtown Primary Care facility in Newtown, Connecticut with a smoking cessation intervention during their annual physical exam.

To Juul Or Not To Juul: What We Know About The Health Effects Of Vaping, Chad Serels

Family Medicine Clerkship Student Projects

E-cigarette use, also known as Vaping, has garnered national attention over recent years due to its rapidly rising popularity. While some claim it is the healthier alternative to cigarette smoking we need to reduce the 480,000 deaths in the US from smoking-related diseases each year, others warn that its popularity among teens has the potential to undo years of progress combating nicotine addiction and is just another attempt by the tobacco industry to lure a new generation of customers. Given this ongoing public conversation, it is up to health care providers to stay informed on the health effects of vaping …

Spirometry In Primary Care, Megan Garrido

Family Medicine Clerkship Student Projects

Prevalence of COPD in the United States is rising, yet many people with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) diagnoses do not have diagnoses. In Vermont 18% of adults are current smokers and 27% are former smokers. The lack of provider and nurse training regarding indications, mechanism, interpretation and benefit of spirometry have limited it's use. Spirometry is recommended for both asthma & COPD diagnoses and management, and may provide better disease management.

Barriers To Smoking Cessation In Patients Enrolled In Suboxone Treatment Programs, Thomas L. Arnell

Family Medicine Clerkship Student Projects

Cigarette smoking is the leading cause of preventable death and disease in the United States, accounting for more than 480,000 deaths every year. The prevalence of tobacco use among substance abuse treatment program enrollees is substantially higher than that of the general population, with recent estimates ranging between 75-97%. The aim of this project was to identify specific barriers to smoking cessation in patients enrolled in suboxone treatment programs in Franklin County, VT. The most commonly cited barriers among survey responders were related to fear of the effects of tobacco withdrawl, while the most important barrier was related to fear …

Smoking Prevention Program For Adolescents: A Hands-On Approach, Sean Closs

Family Medicine Clerkship Student Projects

This project is an initial pilot idea for hands-on experiences to reinforce smoking prevention in adolescents. The proposed idea is to have students specifically those identified 'at-risk', being given opportunities to interact with pathology specimens on-site at the hospital, introduce spirometry, and real-world panel discussions. The resources of the hospital provide a unique opportunity for promotion of this public health goal.

Educating High School Students On The Negative Health Effects Of Vaping, Nicholas Bompastore

Family Medicine Clerkship Student Projects

E-cigarettes surpassed conventional cigarettes in 2014 to become the most commonly used tobacco product among youth. Vaping exposes users to multiple toxins that have been shown to cause asthma and other lung diseases, heart disease, neurologic problems, and cancer. The goal of this project was to provide educators at Londonderry and Bishop Guertin High School, and physicians at Primary Care of Hudson, with evidence based information on the harmful effects vaping has on adolescents. The information was given in the form of a pamphlet that was designed to appeal to teens and written at a level they would understand.

Increasing Awareness Of The Risks Associated With Juuls In High School Students, Daniel Jd Wigmore

Family Medicine Clerkship Student Projects

The use of Juuls and other e-cigarettes has increased in Vermont high schools over the past year. Many students are not aware of the risks associated with the use of these products and believe that they cause no harm. This project focused on increasing communication between high school students and their healthcare providers to improve dialogue and learn the facts about using these projects.

Breaking The Bank: Cost Of Cigarettes In Vermont, Ryan Erik Landvater

Family Medicine Clerkship Student Projects

Smoking is still the leading preventable cause of death in the USA with 75% of current smokers expressing a desire to quit, though a meager 2-3% succeed. Previous research has shown that financial incentives for smoking cessation are among the most efficacious. Vermont has implemented high taxation to these ends, though many smokers still do not grasp the financial burden it poses on their discretionary income. A handout was developed that conveys both the cost of smoking at a pack rate over set time frames and provides potential savings rendered by nicotine replacement therapy. The handout will be made available …

Early And Current Educational Information Is Key In Preventing Smoking In Massachusetts Youth, Shawn Sanford

Family Medicine Clerkship Student Projects

Among adult smokers, 88% started smoking before the age of 18. This challenge is complicated by the effective advertising efforts of the tobacco industry, which have been shown to cause the onset of smoking in adolescents. Franklin County, MA has not been immune to this problem, as 42% of 12^th graders reported trying a cigarette and 51% of 12^th graders reported trying electronic vapor products. This project focused on the need for early and current tobacco prevention information to keep up with the promotional campaigns of the tobacco industry. Reaching youth with fresh information before their first puff …

Community Perception Of Electronic Cigarettes And Their Role As Smoking Cessation Aids, Alejandro Velez

Family Medicine Clerkship Student Projects

The popularity of electronic cigarettes is increasing, yet the research is lagging behind. In an effort to better understand, and therefore better advice our patients, a small number of current daily cigarette smokers were surveyed on their understanding of electronic cigarettes and their usage. Two smoking cessation counselors were also interviewed to better contextualize the role of electronic cigarettes as possible smoking cessation aids. Finally, a review of the available research was done to produce a poster, and possibly a handout, in hopes to educate all patients (regardless of their current smoking habits) regarding electronic cigarettes.

Meta-Analysis Of Studies Investigation Of The Effect Of Smoking Cessation On Impatience, Miriam Claire Dash

Graduate College Dissertations and Theses

(DSM-IV-TR/) nor in withdrawal scales. However, a related term, "impatience" is listed in some nicotine withdrawal scales. (Hughes J. R., Measurements of the Effects of Abstinence from Tobacco: A Qualitative Review, 2007). Although impatience is not a synonym of impulsivity, both share the synonym "impetuous". Therefore, impatience can be considered a measure of impulsivity. Although some reviews of the effect of smoking cessation on impatience have occurred, we know of no quantitative review of prospective studies of whether smoking cessation increases impatience.

Purpose: To evaluate the effect of smoking cessation on impatience as measured by the Minnesota Nicotine Withdrawal Scale-Revised …