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What’s the Study About?
The purpose of this study is to
evaluate a new CD-ROM program for HIV prevention. This program is designed to
help women negotiate sexual situations to reduce their risk of HIV and other
sexually transmitted diseases.
What’s Involved in Participating?
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Participation will involve one 60 minute visit to
our office.
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During the visit, participants will complete
questionnaires about themselves and their sexual behaviors and beliefs.
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Next, participants will view the program in a
private setting. After viewing the program, participants will complete
questionnaires asking for their opinions on the program.
What Do I Get from Participating?
Participants take part in the
program free of charge. Participants will also be compensated for their
participation.
Can I Participate?
If you are a female between the
ages of 18 to 24 and have transportation to Reston, you are eligible to
participate in the study.
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Computerized Recording of
Nicotine Gum Use to Quit Smoking
What’s the Study About?
The purpose of the study is to
test the effectiveness of using a handheld computer to track nicotine gum use
as part of a stop-smoking program.
What’s Involved in Participating?
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Participation will involve 2 visits to our office
in 4 weeks. Each visit will last about one hour. During the visit, participants
will complete several questionnaires about themselves and their smoking
history. The level of carbon monoxide in each participant’s exhaled breath will
be measured. Each participant will be issued a small, hand-held computer and a
supply of Nicotine-replacement gum free of charge. Participants will be given a
full explanation of how to record all necessary information in the handheld
computer. Participants will also be instructed on the safe and appropriate use
of nicotine replacement gum, and how it can be used to help them stop smoking.
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Participants will then return to our office 4 weeks
after the first visit. During the second visit, participants will complete
questionnaires and measures like those of the first visit.
What Do I Get from Participating?
Participants will receive the
stop-smoking program free of charge. Participants who are able to quit smoking
on a long-term basis may lower their risk of health problems that are caused by
smoking. Participants will also be given monetary compensation for completing
the study..
Can I Participate?
If you are a smoker age 18 or
older, have basic computer and Internet experience, and would like to quit
smoking using nicotine gum you may be eligible to participate in this study.
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Young
Women Between the Age of 18 and 24 Are Needed For One Time Interview Study
What’s the Study About?
The purpose of this interview is
to explore common sexual situations for women that may place them at risk for
sexually transmitted diseases such as HIV. This information will be used to
develop an educational program to teach women how to negotiate sexual activity
to reduce risk.
What’s Involved in Participating?
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Participation will involve one visit to our office
in Reston. The visit will last about 90 minutes.
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During the visit, participants will meet with a
female researcher who will discuss issues such as common dating practices,
sexual situations and condom use.
What Do I Get from Participating?
Participants will be compensated
$50 for their participation in the interview.
Can I Participate?
If you are female between the ages
of 18 and 24, you may be eligible to participate in this interview.
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EXERCISE STUDY
What’s the Study About?
The purpose of the study is to
compare the effectiveness of two self-help programs for helping people increase
their exercise activity.
What’s Involved in Participating?
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Participation will involve 4 visits to our office
in 6 months. Each visit will last about one hour each.
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During the visit, participants will complete
several questionnaires about themselves and their exercise activity.
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Participants will then complete exercise measures
including weight, waist and hip measurements, body fat measurements using skin
calipers, a flexibility test, strength test and endurance test.
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Participants will then be assigned at random to one
of two self-help treatment groups. One group will receive an exercise manual by
the American College of Medicine to help create and follow an exercise program.
The other group will receive a small hand-help computer to help create and
follow an exercise program.
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Participants will then return to our office (a) 6
weeks after the first visit, (b) 12 weeks after the first visit, and (c) 6
months after the first visit. At each of these visits, participants will
complete questionnaires and measures like those of the first visit.
What Do I Get from Participating?
Participants will receive the
exercise program free of charge. Participants who are able to maintain the
exercise program on a long-term basis may lower their risk of health problems
that are caused by a sedentary lifestyle. Participants may also feel better
overall and have more energy. Participants will also be compensated for their
participation.
Can I Participate?
If you are age 18 or older, have
basic computer and Internet experience, and are not currently in a regular
exercise program you may be eligible to participate in this study.
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FOOD PORTION TUTORIAL STUDY
What’s the Study About?
The purpose of this study is to
evaluate the content of an interactive food portion tutorial, and its ability
to improve food portion estimation.
What’s Involved in Participating?
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Participation will involve one visit to our office
that will last about an hour.During the visit, participants will first complete
several questionnaires about their background and food portion estimation
experience. Participants will then view a set of foods and estimate portion
sizes for all foods. Next, participants will view an interactive food portion
tutorial on the computer.
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Finally, participants will view the same set of
foods and estimate food portion sizes for all foods again.
What Do I Get from Participating?
You will be getting information on
how to correctly estimate food portions, which is an important part of
monitoring your food intake. This is important because the amount of food you
eat directly affects your weight. You will also be compensated for your
participation in the study.
Can I Participate?
If you are age 18 or older, have
basic computer and Internet experience, and are interested in learning more
about how to estimate food portions you may be eligible to participate in this
study.
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NICOTINE GUM STUDY FOR
TEENAGE SMOKERS
What’s the Study About?
The purpose of this study is to
find out if computerized scheduling of nicotine gum (Nicorette) helps teenage
smokers quit smoking. This study is supported by a grant from the National
Institute on Drug Abuse. The FDA has approved the use of nicotine gum for
smokers under age 18 for this study.
What’s Involved in Participating?
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Participation will involve 4 visits to our office (or at your home or school)
over an 8-week period.
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During the first visit, participants will complete several questionnaires about
their background and smoking patterns, as well as provide a breath sample to
measure carbon monoxide and a saliva sample to measure cotinine (a metabolite
of nicotine).
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Participants will then meet briefly with a study physician to go over their
medical history and determine if the nicotine gum can be given.
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After completion of the initial measures, participants will receive the
handheld computer. At the end of weeks 1, 3 and 8, participants will be asked
to come back to the office to complete questionnaires and measures like those
of the first visit.
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Two follow-up phone contacts will be done at 3 and 12 months to assess smoking
status.
What Do I Get from Participating?
You will receive a free medical screening to make sure that
nicotine gum is appropriate to use. Nicotine gum is not approved for use by
smokers under age 18 except under FDA approved studies such as this study. You
also receive nicotine gum free of charge. If you are able to quit smoking as a
result of the program provided, you will lower your risk of smoking related
illnesses such as cancer, emphysema, and heart disease. You also will be
compensated for completing all study visits.
Can I Participate?
If you are age 14 to 18 and smoke regularly (nearly every
day), you may be eligible for this study.
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SMOKELESS TOBACCO
CESSATION STUDY
What’s the Study About?
The purpose of the study is to
test the usefulness of a small hand-held computer program to assist teenage and
young adult smokeless tobacco users (snuff and chewing tobacco) in quitting.
This study is supported by a grant from the National Cancer Institute.
What’s Involved in Participating?
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Participation will involve two meetings six weeks
apart. These two meetings will last for about a half hour.During the first
visit, you will complete information about your smokeless tobacco use and will
then be provided with the computer device to use for six weeks. During the
first week of the program, you will record the start and stop of each dip or
chaw on the small handheld computer provided. After that, the computer will
schedule and prompt the start and stop of each use and gradually decrease use
and count down the days to quit day.
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After six weeks, you will complete the same
self-report forms completed before, return the device, and answer questions
about the use of the computer program. You also may be asked to provide a
saliva sample to measure the nicotine in your body.
What Do I Get from Participating?
You will receive your program free
of charge. In addition, participants who complete the six week meeting will
receive $50. If you quit smokeless tobacco use as a result of study
participation, you will lower your risk of illnesses such as heart disease,
cancer, and gum disease.
Can I Participate?
If you are age 13 to 24 years old
and use smokeless tobacco nearly every day, you may be eligible to participate.
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SELF-HELP QUIT SMOKING STUDY
What’s the Study About?
This study compares two self-help programs to help
smokers quit smoking, the NCI "Clearing the Air" program and the QuitKey
computerized scheduled reduction program. This study is supported by a grant
from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute of NIH.What’s involved in
participating?
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There are 3 office visits during the 8 week
treatment phase, each lasting about an hour. Each visit involves completing
several questionnaires, being weighed, and providing breath (and possibly
saliva) samples to measure how much you smoke. At the first visit, you will be
randomly (like flipping a coin) assigned to one of the two self-help programs
for quitting smoking. Neither you nor the research staff can choose the
programs you will receive. You use the assigned program for 8 weeks. You return
at weeks 5 and 8 to provide information on your smoking, quitting, and program
use.
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Follow-up calls are performed at 6 and 12 months to
assess smoking status. Breath and/or saliva samples may be required at these
times as well.
What do I get from participating?
You will get one of two self-help quit smoking
program expected to help you quit smoking (i.e. there is no placebo condition
in this study). The program assigned (book or handheld device) is provided
free. In addition, you can receive up to $75 for completing the three office
visits. If you are able to quit smoking as a result of the program provided,
you will lower your risk of smoking related illnesses such as cancer,
emphysema, and heart disease. Your participation, regardless of your personal
results, will improve understanding of how to help smokers quit.
Can I participate?
If you an adult (age 18 or older) who smokes
regularly and is interested in quitting, you may be eligible to participate.
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DIETARY RECORDING AND
MONITORING STUDY
What’s the Study About?
This study primarily compares two different ways
of recording the foods you eat while you follow a Low Fat Vegetarian Diet – the
Ornish Diet – for 3 weeks. This diet is a well accepted and scientifically
supported diet program. The study is supported by a grant from the National
Institute on Nursing Research of the National Institutes of Health.
What’s Involved in Participating?
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The study will last 4 weeks with 3 visits to the PICS offices in Reston,VA.
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Participants will be randomly assigned (like the flip of a coin) to one of two
groups.
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One group will receive a Food Diary for recording their meals; the other will
receive a Palm computer for recording their meals.
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During the first week, you will eat as usual and record your food intake using
your assigned recording method.
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During the subsequent 3 weeks, you will be asked to record your food intake
following an Ornish Low Fat Vegetarian Diet with the aid of two books that will
be provided to you.
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At each visit, you will fill out brief questionnaires relating to medical
history and eating habits, in addition to being weighed and measured.
What Do I Get from Participating?
All participants receive two diet books to help them follow the Ornish diet.
To the degree that you follow the diet, you may reduce your weight and improve
your health. You also will receive a nutritional analysis of the foods you eat
as part of participating in this study. You also will be compensated for
participation in the research study.
Can I Participate?
If you are an adult (age 18 or
older) with no medical restrictions on your diet, you may be eligible to
participate.
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COMPUTERIZED
SCHEDULING OF NICOTINE NASAL SPRAY
The purpose of this study is to determine if
computerized scheduling of nicotine nasal spray (Nicotrol NS) improves the
effectiveness of nicotine nasal spray for quitting smoking. Participants
will be randomly assigned to one of the two groups: Group A will use nicotine
nasal spray alone while Group B will use nicotine nasal spray with the aid of a
hand-held computer. Participants in both groups receive Nicotrol NS. There will
be no inactive or "placebo" products used.
Participation in the study will last for
ten weeks and will involve two visits to PICS. During the first visit,
participants will meet briefly with the study physician to go over their
medical history and determine if it is appropriate to prescribe nicotine nasal
spray for them. Participants will complete several questionnaires about their
background, smoking patterns, and thoughts and feelings about smoking.
Participants also will be asked to provide a breath sample to measure carbon
monoxide and a saliva sample to measure cotinine (a metabolite of nicotine).
After completion of the initial measures, participants will receive
either nicotine nasal spray or nicotine nasal spray along with a
hand-held computer to prompt when to use the nasal spray each
day. Ten weeks after their first visit to PICS, participants will
return to the office to repeat the measurements taken at baseline and
return their study materials. Two follow-up phone contacts at six months
and one year will be performed to assess smoking status.
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SMOKING
REDUCTION STUDY
The purpose of the study is to evaluate the
effectiveness of a small hand-held computer program to assist smokers in
reducing their smoking by at least 50%. Although smoking in any amount has
significant negative health consequences, reducing smoking has potential health
benefits for smokers who have been unable or unwilling to quit, and may improve
their likelihood of quitting later. Participants in the study will be randomly
assigned to either the hand-held computer condition or to a instruction guide
condition.
Participation in the study will last for 6 months
and will involve 3 visits to PICS. During the first visit, participants will
complete information about their smoking behavior and provide a breath, saliva,
and urine samples. Participants also will complete a brief cardiovascular
fitness test and pulse and blood pressure will be measured. After completion of
the initial measures, participants will receive materials for their assigned
treatment condition and asked to follow this program for the next nine weeks.
One treatment will involve the use of a smoking log and instruction sheet that
guides participants through a program to reduce their smoking by at least half.
The other involves the use of a hand-held computer that schedules and gradually
reduces smoking by at least half. After completing the program, participants
will return to PICS to repeat the measurements taken at baseline and to return
their study materials. A follow-up appointment at six months will be conducted
to monitor any changes in smoking behavior since completing the program as well
as any changes in health status.
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SMOKELESS
TOBACOO STUDY
What’s the Study About?
This
study will compare two self-help programs; the 'Enough Snuff' manual and the
QuitKey ST program. Both programs are designed to provide a gradual nicotine
reduction regimen without the use of medication or supplements.
What’s
Involved in Participating?
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This study does not
require any office visits. All participant
contact will be done via telephone, mail or e-mail. All questionnaires will be
completed using our web site www.QuitNow.org.
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After accessing the
www.QuitNow.org web site and reading the complete description of the
study, you will complete an anonymous, secure online screening questionnaire to
determine your eligibility for this study. If you are a minor (under 18 years
old), your parent/guardian’s consent will need to be obtained.
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After you are deemed
eligible for the study, you will complete an online baseline questionnaire
containing questions about your demographic information, your history of
tobacco use, etc.
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After completing the
baseline questionnaire, you will be randomly assigned (by chance, like the flip
of a coin) to receive the 'Enough Snuff' manual or the QuitKey ST program. You
will receive your assigned program by mail. One week later, we will contact you
via telephone to confirm receipt of your treatment. At this time, we will also
answer any questions you may have.
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You will be asked to
follow the program you are assigned to and to try to quit using smokeless
tobacco.
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Eight weeks later,
you will complete a questionnaire containing questions about your quitting
experience. You may be asked to provide a sample of your saliva to test for
nicotine. Participants who were assigned to the handheld computer will be asked
to return it at this time.
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Six months later, you
will complete a questionnaire containing questions about your smokeless tobacco
use. You may be asked to provide a saliva sample that will be tested for
nicotine.
What
Do I Get from Participating?
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It is hoped that you
will quit using smokeless tobacco as a result of your participation in this
study; however, there is no guarantee of this.
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The information from
this research study may help others in the future who wish to quit using
smokeless tobacco.
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You will be
compensated for participating, regardless of whether you quit or not.
Can I Participate?
To enroll in this
study, the participant must:
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Be 15 years of age or
older.
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Use smokeless tobacco
on a regular basis (dip or chew).
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Be interested in
quitting smokeless tobacco use.
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