![Curbing Smoking Among People with HIV]()
About half of people with HIV (PWH) in the United States smoke cigarettes, most are unable or unwilling to stop—and smoking is now the leading killer of PWH. The National Cancer Institute has awarded Jonathan Shuter, M.D., and colleagues a five-year, $3.5 million grant to test whether a novel harm-reduction approach designed specifically for PWH who smoke can reduce morbidity and mortality. The harm reduction intervention includes cutting down on cigarettes, screening for lung cancer, and controlling blood pressure and blood cholesterol levels. Four hundred PWH who smoke will be randomized to receive either the harm reduction intervention or routine care. After nine months, participants in the two groups will be assessed for primary outcomes including change in number of cigarettes smoked daily, proportion screened for lung cancer, and changes in blood pressure and cholesterol.
Dr. Shuter is professor of medicine and of epidemiology & population health at Einstein and an attending physician at Montefiore. (1R01CA275521-01A1)
Posted on: Tuesday, June 06, 2023