Center for Behavioral and Preventive Medicine


Participate in a Research Study

Nicotine and Tobacco Research Center
Research Participation Opportunities


Quitting in Balance

In one of the first studies of its kind, researchers at The Miriam Hospital’s Centers for Behavioral and Preventive Medicine are incorporating yoga into a smoking cessation program to determine its effectiveness.

Quitting in Balance is an eight-week research program funded by the National Institutes of Health/National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, designed to help women stop smoking. The program offers supportive counseling and complimentary health and wellness treatments to help participants change their habits and begin a healthy, balanced lifestyle.

Although all participants will receive smoking cessation counseling, they will be divided into two groups—one group will be enrolled into a yoga program, while the other will receive video-based health and wellness information. Both strategies have proven to be effective in helping with smoking cessation.

Eligible participants need to be:

  • Female smokers aged 18 to 65 years who want to quit smoking
  • Not regular exercisers
  • In generally good health

Participants will meet with researchers and their group in Providence twice a week over the eight-week period. The program is at no cost to participants and compensation will be provided. For additional information, contact the Quitting in Balance study research staff at 401-793-8066.

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Commit to Quit

Are you a female smoker looking to quit?
Commit to Quit is a 12-week quit smoking
program designed by women specifically for women. The study is held at participating YMCAs in Rhode Island and southeastern Massachusetts. Women who take part in the program learn how to prepare to quit and how to handle nicotine withdrawal, develop skills needed to quit, and are given the tools to help them stay smoke-free. Women eligible to participate will learn:

  • Stress management skills
  • Weight management tips
  • Coping skills
  • Positive self-talk methods
  • Relapse prevention tools

All participating women are offered up to an 8-week supply of the nicotine patch at no cost. Participants are randomly assigned to either an exercise or wellness program to enhance the 12-week quit smoking program. Participants also receive a complimentary three-month YMCA membership (start date will be during or after the study, depending on the randomly assigned 50/50 chance group). All participants are financially compensated for the time they spend answering survey questions.

Commit to Quit is funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and offered in English. If you would like to learn more about the program or see if you are eligible, call Commit to Quit at 401-793-8210 or email committoquit@lifespan.org.

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PAQS Project PAQS logo

If you are a smoker and spend a significant amount of time taking care of a child with asthma or a healthy child, you may be eligible for a new program.

The PAQS Project seeks smokers who are parents, grandparents, other relatives, etc. who spend a significant amount of time with the child for a program that may help children with asthma to breathe better or improve the overall well-being of healthy children as well as improve the caregiver's long-term health.

  • You do not have to quit smoking to participate.

  •  If  you would like to quit smoking, you can receive up to an 8-week supply of the nicotine patch at no cost to you.

  •  You will receive child health education (asthma education or child wellness) during sessions conducted in your home by a visiting nurse.

  • For answering survey questions, you will be financially compensated for your time.

Programs are in English.

 For more information or to find out whether you are eligible, please call:

 The PAQS Project at 1-866-401-PAQS (7277) or 401-793-8226.

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Physical Activity Research Center
Research Participation Opportunities

 

Healing Moves

Healing Moves is investigating the role of physical activity in regaining quality of life after colorectal cancer diagnosis and treatment. The purpose of this research is to examine the feasibility and benefits of a home-based exercise program.

Men and women, who have been diagnosed with Stage 0-III colorectal cancer and have completed treatment within the past 10 years, are invited to participate. Volunteers must be in overall good health, over 18 years of age and not participating in regular physical activity. Volunteers will be asked to meet with researchers 5 times over the course of a year, be willing to participate in a treadmill walk test, complete questionnaires and receive periodic telephone calls.

Please call 401-793-8855 for more information, or click here.

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Other Studies

Behavior and Mood of Babies and Mothers (BAM BAM) Study

Are you pregnant and smoking?
We are looking for healthy, smoking and non-smoking pregnant women who are 12 to 38 weeks into their pregnancy. We are interested in mothers' behaviors and feelings during pregnancy and fetal and infant behaviors. Participants will be compensated for their time and will receive a free DVD of your baby from a non-diagnostic ultrasound. This is not a quit smoking program.

For more information, call 401-793-8120 or email: jphillips1@lifespan.org.

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Child and High School Research Study

The Miriam Hospital is looking for children and high school students ages 8-17 to participate in a research study. The study will look at how children respond to different tasks. Children will complete three afternoon sessions at The Miriam Hospital.

For more information, call 401-793-8016 or email: jcosta6@lifespan.org

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