Helping Veterans quit smoking with social support
Official title: Veteran Social Support Intervention for Enhancing Smoking Treatment Utilization and Cessation
Run by VA Office of Research and Development · NCT05868421 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is testing whether getting support from friends or family can help Veterans quit smoking more successfully than going it alone.
Quick facts
| Study type | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Ages | 18 Years and up |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 2376 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | VA Office of Research and Development Federal |
| Locations | 1 site (Minneapolis, Minnesota) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | February 1, 2024 |
| Main results expected | February 1, 2027 |
| Study ends | February 1, 2028 |
| Registry record updated | January 16, 2026 |
| Trial ID | NCT05868421 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Ideal candidates are Veterans who smoke cigarettes and can identify a supportive family member or friend willing to assist them in quitting.
✕Probably not a fit
Patients who have recently used cessation medications or programs may not benefit from this study.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
This study recruits Veterans who smoke and their chosen support persons to enhance smoking cessation efforts. The aim is to evaluate how social support impacts the use of evidence-based tobacco cessation treatments and the effectiveness of quitting smoking. Participants will be randomly assigned to receive either a social support intervention or a control condition, with assessments of smoking abstinence and the role of support in the quitting process. The findings will inform tailored strategies to assist Veterans in quitting smoking.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this study could significantly improve smoking cessation rates among Veterans by leveraging social support.
How similar studies have gone: Other studies have shown that social support can enhance smoking cessation efforts, indicating potential success for this approach.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: Veteran Inclusion Criteria * Smoked 1 cigarettes over the past 30 days, even a puff * If using other tobacco or nicotine products, cigarettes are the main product used * Able to identify one adult family member or friend (SP) with whom they have contact (of any form) at least 3 times per week who will enroll Veteran Support Person Inclusion Criteria * Willing to support the Veteran smoker * Have to have access to any type of phone (or tablet for video call) for delivery of the SP intervention Exclusion Criteria: Veteran Exclusion Criteria * Have used cessation medications or a stop smoking program within the past 3 months * Have no valid phone contact information
Where it's running
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Minneapolis VA Health Care System, Minneapolis, MN
Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States Recruiting
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Steven S. Fu, MD MSCE — Minneapolis VA Health Care System, Minneapolis, MN
- Study coordinator: Alicia B Woodward-Abel
- Email: alicia.woodward-abel@va.gov
- Phone: (612) 467-1229
Similar studies
Other studies for the same condition or treatment. Recruiting studies are listed first.
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Quitting Matters: a smoking quit program for people living with HIV
This 6-month program will test whether a tailored smartphone app plus nicotine patches and gum helps people living with HIV quit smoking better than a standard quit app.
-
Smoky Futures: Danish Adolescent Nicotine Use over Time
This observational cohort follows Danish youths ages 15–25 to see how cigarette, e-cigarette, and other nicotine use begin, change, and affect health and education over several years.
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Nicotine Orodispersible Tablet to Relieve Cravings in Smokers
A nicotine mint orodispersible tablet is tested vs placebo to see if it quickly eases the urge to smoke in adult cigarette smokers.
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Optimizing when weekly chatbot reminders go out to people using a chatbot for quitting smoking
This study tests whether sending weekly reminders at different times helps people stay engaged with a chatbot smoking-cessation service.
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NMDA and Sigma-1 combination therapy for smoking cessation with AXS-05
This phase 3 trial tests whether AXS-05 can help adults quit smoking better than placebo or bupropion.
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AI-assisted interactive case-based training to improve smoking cessation counseling by medical interns
This study tests whether AI-powered interactive case-based training helps medical interns provide better smoking cessation counseling.
How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.