ASSIST: How Medicaid policies on quitting smoking before surgery affect outcomes
Official title: ASSIST: Assessment of Medicaid policy on Smoking Cessation Assistance and Surgical Outcomes
Funded at Oregon Health & Science University · NIH-11369247 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A study on how requiring Medicaid patients to quit smoking before elective surgery influences postoperative outcomes and access to care.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Oregon Health & Science University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Portland, United States) |
| Project start | September 25, 2023 |
| Project end | May 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $647,682 |
| NIH project number | 5R01MD018368-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11369247 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults 21 and older who smoke and are undergoing elective surgeries and are insured by Medicaid.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who do not smoke or who cannot quit before surgery may not experience substantial benefit from the policy.
What this research studies
This project looks at how pre-surgery smoking cessation policies for Medicaid patients impact healing, infection risk, and cardiovascular complications after surgery. It focuses on low-income adults who undergo elective procedures and may reveal how supporting quit attempts around the time of surgery changes outcomes and care experiences. Researchers will analyze policy implementation across settings, track cessation support use, and examine post-operative results to identify opportunities to improve patient care. The work aims to inform payers and hospitals on whether these policies help reduce disparities in surgical outcomes for low-SES patients.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the policy could improve surgical outcomes for low-income patients who smoke and guide better support programs around the time of surgery.
How similar studies have gone: Past policies have shown variable success; this study will clarify effectiveness in the Medicaid population undergoing surgery.
Where this research is happening
-
Oregon Health & Science University
Portland, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Bailey, Steffani R — Oregon Health & Science University
- Study coordinator: Bailey, Steffani R
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Social stress and smoking: why disadvantaged young adults struggle to quit
This grant looks at how daily social stress affects if and when disadvantaged young adults who smoke can quit and stay quit.
-
I-STOP: a mobile health program to help people with HIV quit smoking
A smartphone-based program designed to help people with HIV quit smoking in a sustainable, affordable way.
-
Smoking cessation help for people with HIV in South Africa
A program is being tested to help people living with HIV in South Africa quit smoking in ways that fit low-resource clinics and show good value.
-
Mobile tools to understand how sleep affects quitting smoking
This project uses a smartphone to track sleep and smoking in lower-income adults trying to quit to find how sleep patterns relate to staying smoke-free.
-
Integrated approach to lung screening and quitting for African Americans
A multi-level program aims to boost LDCT lung cancer screening uptake and help African American smokers quit, with support from a comprehensive community-focused plan.
-
Peer-led smoking-cessation program for public housing residents
A peer-led program with eight group sessions plus nicotine replacement therapy is tested on adults living in public housing to help them quit smoking.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.