Behavior and Behavior Mechanisms Commons^™

A Randomized Controlled Trial Of A Faith-Placed, Lay Health Advisor Delivered Smoking Cessation Intervention For Rural Residents, Nancy E. Schoenberg, Christina R. Studts, Brent J. Shelton, Meng Liu, Richard Clayton, Jordan Baeker Bispo, Nell Fields, Mark Dignan, Thomas Cooper

Behavioral Science Faculty Publications

Introduction. Rural US residents smoke at higher rates than urban or suburban residents. We report results from a community-based smoking cessation intervention in Appalachian Kentucky.

Study design. Single-blind, group-randomized trial with outcome measurements at baseline, 17 weeks and 43 weeks.

Setting/participants. This faith-placed CBPR project was located in six counties of rural Appalachian Kentucky. A total of 590 individual participants clustered in 28 churches were enrolled in the study.

Intervention. Local lay health advisors delivered the 12-week Cooper/Clayton Method to Stop Smoking program, leveraging sociocultural factors to improve the cultural salience of the program for Appalachian smokers. Participants met with …

Colorectal Cancer Prevention: Perspectives Of Key Players From Social Networks In A Low-Income Rural Us Region, Nancy E. Schoenberg, Kathryn Eddens, Adam Jonas, Claire Snell-Rood, Christina R. Studts, Benjamin Broder-Oldach, Mira L. Katz

Behavioral Science Faculty Publications

Social networks influence health behavior and health status. Within social networks, “key players” often influence those around them, particularly in traditionally underserved areas like the Appalachian region in the USA. From a total sample of 787 Appalachian residents, we identified and interviewed 10 key players in complex networks, asking them what comprises a key player, their role in their network and community, and ideas to overcome and increase colorectal cancer (CRC) screening. Key players emphasized their communication skills, resourcefulness, and special occupational and educational status in the community. Barriers to CRC screening included negative perceptions of the colonoscopy screening procedure, …