More equitable smoking help for African American and Hispanic Veterans
Official title: Addressing Health Equity in Tobacco Cessation Treatment for Historically Underrepresented Veterans
Funded at Michael E Debakey VA Medical Center · NIH-11365621 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project will try ways to make proven quit-smoking treatments easier to find and use for African American and Hispanic veterans who smoke.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Michael E Debakey VA Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Houston, United States) |
| Project start | January 1, 2024 |
| Project end | December 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| NIH project number | 5IK2HX003697-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11365621 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are Veterans aged 21 or older who currently use tobacco, identify as African American/Black or Hispanic/Latino, and receive care through the VA.
✕Less likely to help
People who do not use tobacco, non-Veterans, or Veterans who do not receive care within participating VA clinics are unlikely to benefit directly from this project.
What this research studies
You would be part of a project focused on African American and Hispanic Veterans who smoke and want better access to quitting help. The team will look at social and cultural barriers that keep people from starting evidence-based tobacco treatments and work with VA care settings to close those gaps. They plan to use patient feedback, VA health data, and tailored outreach or care strategies to increase treatment initiation and engagement. The findings will guide how the VA offers smoking-cessation services to underrepresented Veterans.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could increase use of quitting treatments and lower smoking-related illness for African American and Hispanic Veterans.
How similar studies have gone: Culturally tailored smoking-cessation programs have helped some groups before, but work specifically focused on African American and Hispanic Veterans within the VA is limited.
Where this research is happening
-
Michael E Debakey VA Medical Center
Houston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Dawson, Darius B. — Michael E Debakey VA Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Dawson, Darius B.
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.