OUTCOME OF AN EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT INTERVENTION ON TOBACCO CESSATION AMONG EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT PATIENTS AND VISITORS - A VALIDATION STUDY
RAs in the spring and summer semesters, 2009 completed a pilot study on a tobacco cessation effort in the emergency department

Using a scripted protocol, RAs approached as many patients and visitors as possible on their weekly 4-hour shifts.

If they used tobacco for more than 30 days in their lives, RAs offered the participants a referral to the Connecticut Quitline. 38% of active smokers accepted this referral.  Thus, almost 40% of all the referrals to the Connecticut Quitline from health care facilities came from the Emergency Department at St. Vincent’s during that time period.

The 2011-2012 study is the next step in this research process. In conjunction with Hartford Hospital and Lawrence & Memorial Hospital, RAs at St. Vincent's will validate the previous work to demonstrate their effectiveness at facilitating tobacco cessation referrals from the emergency department in a new population.

Other Activities

Research Associates use results from previous RAs' work to provide service for our patients and visitors by screening for Pap tests, mammograms, Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) tests, digital rectal exams, colon-rectal cancer tests and tobacco cessation.

We anticipate this will result in each RA having research or service contact with well over 100 patients and visitors during their time with us.

There will also be a number of extra-curricular activities available to summer RAs.

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Important Dates in 2013

Click here to view the 2013 Event Calendar