WalkAmerica Supports New UAB Program to Help Smokers Quit

The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) has received a three-year, $300,000 grant from the March of Dimes Foundation to institute a training program to teach rural physicians and medical students how best to help patients quit smoking. “It is especially meaningful because the money was raised by volunteers across the country through WalkAmerica,” said Lesa Woodby, Ph.D., research assistant professor of medicine with UAB’s Department of Family and Community Medicine and associate director for education and evaluation with the Birmingham V.A. Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center.

April 22, 2003

BIRMINGHAM, AL — The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) has received a three-year, $300,000 grant from the March of Dimes Foundation to institute a training program to teach rural physicians and medical students how best to help patients quit smoking. “It is especially meaningful because the money was raised by volunteers across the country through WalkAmerica,” said Lesa Woodby, Ph.D., research assistant professor of medicine with UAB’s Department of Family and Community Medicine and associate director for education and evaluation with the Birmingham V.A. Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center.

The grant is one of four recently awarded by the national Foundation to support research and innovative programs aimed at preventing premature births, birth defects and other serious health problems. “Each year, 460,000 babies are born prematurely, increasing their chances for potentially serious health problems,” Woodby said. “While smoking doesn’t account for all premature births, it is a leading risk factor.”

Over the next three years, the UAB program will train 75 rural family practice physicians, their staffs and more than 360 third-year medical students how to assess patients’ use and willingness to quit smoking and how best to help those who are ready to quit. “Primary care providers, especially those is rural, more isolated communities of the state, receive little continuing education and training,” Woodby said. “This program will give them the knowledge and tools needed to better assess and address particular health risks of their patients.”

The training program follows the national guidelines established by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for tobacco use cessation. “The reference guide for clinicians includes summary articles about the best way, based on scientific research, to help patients quit using tobacco products,” Woodby said. “Normally, it may take years for research findings to be adopted into clinical practice. Our aim is to bridge the gap by sharing these findings with physicians through a focused training program.”

The program consists of a one-hour on-site training session of instruction and role-play. “Healthcare providers also receive a resource tool kit and patients are given information materials and counseling support, including a toll-free hotline number to call to talk with a smoking cessation specialist,” Woodby said.

This year marks the 33rd annual WalkAmerica Campaign, organized by the national March of Dimes Foundation. April 26 is official date, however, the Alabama Chapter will host walks throughout the state on various dates in April and May. “Because of fundraisers like WalkAmerica, the March of Dimes is able to fund grants like UAB’s smoking cessation program that helps improve the health of our babies. We are honored to have this worthwhile research conducted in our own community,” said Saundra Ivey, March of Dimes Alabama Chapter chairwoman.

 

For more information or to register to walk, call the Alabama Chapter of the March of Dimes at (800) 737-0445 or visit the chapter’s Web site at www.marchofdimes.com/alabama.