Helping Veterans with Chronic Pain Quit Smoking

Enhancing an Intervention for Smokers with Chronic Pain using IVR: A Randomized Clinical Trial of Smoking Cessation Counseling for Veterans

NIH-funded research VA Connecticut Healthcare System · NIH-11112332

This project helps Veterans who have chronic pain and smoke find better ways to quit.

Quick facts

Grant typeNIH-funded research
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionVA Connecticut Healthcare System NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (West Haven, United States)
Project IDNIH-11112332 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

Many Veterans experience both chronic pain and smoking, and these two issues can make each other worse. Standard methods to help people with chronic pain stop smoking often don't work well because pain can be a strong trigger to smoke. This project builds on a previous effort that showed some success in helping Veterans with chronic pain reduce smoking and pain interference. We are now working to make this special program even more effective for those who need it most.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Ideal candidates are Veterans who smoke and also experience chronic pain.

Not a fit: Patients who do not smoke or do not have chronic pain would likely not receive direct benefit from this specific intervention.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this enhanced program could help Veterans with chronic pain quit smoking more effectively and experience less pain interference in their daily lives.

How similar studies have performed: A previous version of this intervention showed promising results in helping Veterans with chronic pain reduce smoking and pain, though it did not meet all initial goals for superiority.

Where this research is happening

West Haven, United States

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.