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Dear Editor, While tobacco use is restricted in public spaces such as workplaces, restaurants, and public housing, non-smokers' exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) can happen in the home, especially [...]

Formation is an important stage of partnership development. Purpose: To describe the systematic approach to process evaluation of a Turning Point initiative in central Oklahoma during the formation stage. The nine-month collaborative effort aimed to develop an action plan to promote health. Methods: A sound planning framework was used in the design of a systematic approach to process evaluation. Mixed (qualitative and quantitative) methodology was used, including stakeholder interviews, surveys, and attendance logs. Results: Reach to the meetings ranged from 38% to 70%. "Collaboration membership" was statistically significantly associated with high attendance at the meetings. Strengths of the collaborative process included stakeholder diversity, a strong organizational structure and the use of a democratic collaborative process. Discussion: Building effective collaborative skills among the stakeholders early in the planning phase can be instrumental in promoting participation during the formation stage. In addition, emphasis should be given in strengthening/supporting of the coalition processes, coalition structures, leadership and staff. Translation to Health Education Practice: Process evaluation is a valuable tool for the continuous monitoring of the quality of the collaborative process during the formation stage, and therefore, minimum process evaluation measures should be incorporated at the early stages of the partnership development. (Contains 1 figure and 3 tables.)

The prospective associations between negative life events (NLEs) and adolescent alcohol use was examined using the Youth Asset Study. Participants (n = 1040 adolescents, mean age = 15.8 years) completed annual interviews which included a life events scale and alcohol use in the last 30 days. Family structure and parent education were assessed as confounders. For the youngest group, each NLE increased the odds of alcohol use the next year compared to those with no events (ORs 1.66, 2.43, 2.65). For the middle age group, one or more NLEs doubled the odds of alcohol use the next year (ORs 2.01, 2.03, 2.05). A simple life events checklist can be a useful tool to assess an increased risk of future alcohol use in adolescents.

Objective: Fraternity and sorority members have one of the highest smoking rates among college students, yet little is known about the social influences on smoking within this subculture. The objective of this study was to examine sorority and fraternity member beliefs about smoking and alcohol use. Methods: In-depth individual interviews were conducted with active members of sororities (n = 16) and fraternities (n = 17). Members were recruited through posters and electronic postings using purposive sampling techniques and continued until saturation was reached. Interviews were conducted in community settings chosen by the participant. Transcribed interviews were coded and analyzed for themes. Results: Fraternity parties and bars/clubs provide a smoking-friendly environment where members expect to be offered both alcohol and cigarettes without negative evaluation from others. Fraternity members take on the role of providing cigarettes to others. Members discussed positive beliefs about smoking while using alcohol. Beliefs that smoking is an extension of drinking behaviors, smoking enhances the experience of alcohol, smoking while drunk does not lead to addiction and getting cigarettes from others is different than buying your own were examples of how members adopted beliefs that promote an addictive behavior. Conclusions: Fraternity and sorority member alcohol use may increase their risk for smoking because of their positive beliefs about smoking and alcohol use and smoking tolerant social environments. Increasing smoke-free perimeters at fraternity houses and bars/clubs and intervening with pledge classes to de-link smoking from alcohol use are needed to reduce non-daily smoking in members.

Background: Black adults who smoke and have HIV experience immense stressors (eg, racial discrimination and HIV stigma) that impede smoking cessation success and perpetuate smoking-related health disparities. These stressors also place Black adults who smoke and have HIV at an increased risk of elevated interoceptive stress (eg, anxiety and uncomfortable bodily sensations) and smoking to manage symptoms. In turn, this population is more likely to smoke to manage interoceptive stress, which contributes to worse HIV-related outcomes in this group. However, no specialized treatment exists to address smoking cessation, interoceptive stress, and HIV management for Black smokers with HIV., Objective: This study aims to test a culturally adapted and novel mobile intervention that targets combustible cigarette smoking, HIV treatment engagement and adherence, and anxiety sensitivity (a proxy for difficulty and responsivity to interoceptive stress) among Black smokers with HIV (ie, Mobile Anxiety Sensitivity Program for Smoking and HIV [MASP+]). Various culturally tailored components of the app are being evaluated for their ability to help users quit smoking, manage physiological stress, and improve health care management., Methods: This study is a pilot randomized controlled trial in which Black combustible cigarette smokers with HIV (N=72) are being recruited and randomly assigned to use either (1) the National Cancer Institute's QuitGuide app or (2) MASP+. Study procedures include a web-based prescreener; active intervention period for 6 weeks; smartphone-based assessments, including daily app-based ecological momentary assessments for 6 weeks (4 ecological momentary assessments each day); a video-based qualitative interview using Zoom Video Communications software at week 6 for participants in all study conditions; and smartphone-based follow-up assessments at 0, 1, 2 (quit date), 3, 4, 5, 6, and 28 weeks postbaseline (26 weeks postquitting date)., Results: Primary outcomes include biochemically verified 7-day point prevalence of abstinence, HIV-related quality of life, use of antiretroviral therapy, and HIV care appointment adherence at 26 weeks postquitting date. Qualitative data are also being collected and assessed to obtain feedback that will guide further tailoring of app content and evaluation of efficacy., Conclusions: The results of this study will determine whether the MASP+ app serves as a successful aid for combustible cigarette smoking cessation, HIV treatment engagement, and physiological stress outcomes among Black people with HIV infection. If successful, this study will provide evidence for the efficacy of a new means of addressing major mental and physical health difficulties for this high-risk population. If the results are promising, the data from this study will be used to update and tailor the MASP+ app for testing in a fully powered randomized controlled trial that will evaluate its efficacy in real-world behavioral health and social service settings., Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05709002; https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05709002., International Registered Report Identifier (irrid): PRR1-10.2196/52090., (©Andre Bizier, Arielle Jones, Michael Businelle, Krista Kezbers, Bettina B Hoeppner, Thomas P Giordano, Jessica M Thai, Jacqueline Charles, Audrey Montgomery, Matthew W Gallagher, Marshall K Cheney, Michael Zvolensky, Lorra Garey. Originally published in JMIR Research Protocols (https://www.researchprotocols.org), 24.04.2024.)