Project Status: 

Active

Description:

Dr. Thais Moreira’s research will develop and pilot a smoking harm-reduction intervention tailored to commercial fishers in Rhode Island, a population with high rates of tobacco use and occupational stress. The study will explore fisher’s preferences for smoking harm-reduction strategies and evaluate an 8-week intervention combining behavioral counseling with oral nicotine pouches, compared with behavioral counseling alone. Conducted in collaboration with local fishing communities and designed around fisher’s demanding and variable work schedules, the study will assess the intervention’s feasibility and acceptability, as well as preliminary changes in cigarette use, respiratory symptoms, and cardiopulmonary fitness. Findings will guide the refinement of the intervention and inform the development of a larger NIH-funded clinical trial aimed at reducing tobacco-related health risks among commercial fishers. 

Mentor:

Jasjit S. Ahluwalia, M.D., MPH, M.S., Brown University