School of Nursing’s Schlapman to study tobacco use through CDC research grant

The CDC grant is in place for 2002 through an agency called Smokefree Indiana, which is based in Indianapolis, and is focused on evaluating tobacco use among population groups.

Twenty states applied for the CDC grant, but only 14 were selected. Indiana, which has the highest percentage of adult smokers among those selected, is joined by Arkansas, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Carolina, Oregon, Utah, Washington, Wisconsin and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

The purpose of the grant is to identify and to eliminate disparities related to tobacco use in diverse population groups within the state. Schlapman joins a work group in Indiana that is expected to produce a plan that provides a framework for future tobacco cessation and prevention programs, interventions, surveillance and evaluation for population groups in Indiana.

“The CDC is really trying to stay one step ahead of marketers, growers and lobbyists who are heavily targeting Asian-Pacific Islanders as well as our youth,” Schlapman said.

During the next few months, Schlapman will be studying data related to tobacco use in the state.

“This is crucial so that I can identify different groups that haven’t been well assessed—such as tobacco use among individuals with disabilities.” Schlapman said. “These groups haven’t been studied because there isn’t an instrument in place for them, such as the ‘Youth Tobacco Survey,’ which looks at tobacco use among young people.”

Schlapman recently attended the first of three three-day training sessions provided by the CDC in Atlanta. The training sessions help the grantees to identify work group members, available data sources, assess available data, conduct analysis of the internal and external factors that influence tobacco use, and develop, implement and evaluate the strategic plan.

By December, the Smokefree Indiana work group, as well as the 13 other grantees, will produce case studies that describe tobacco use within their respective states. Information from this CDC grant will be disseminated to assist all states in their work on the prevention and cessation of tobacco use.