Projects
USAID PEER Health / National Academy of Science Grant, Awardee 2015-2018
Effect of a Smoking Cessation Intervention for Families In Children Diagnosed with TB
In 2015, PAPA began this research funded by the US Agency for International Development (USAID), through Partnerships for Enhanced Engagement in Research (PEER). The research study seeks to link secondhand smoke exposure in children to development of TB, correlate brief advice on smoking cessation to quit attempts of smokers, and explore the relationship between secondhand smoke exposure in children with TB to resolution of TB signs and symptoms.
As the three-year project draws to a close, the PEER team has notched numerous accomplishments, which range from training over 100 health workers in administering brief advice on smoking cessation, to improving coordination among local, provincial, and regional stakeholders to ensure availability of pediatric TB medicines, to presenting research abstracts at two international conferences (American Academy of Pediatrics and International Conference for Young Chemists).
The project is currently finalizing data cleaning and verification and statistical analysis, after which a writing workshop and close-out activity shall be held for the health workers of the six sites—Rural Health Units of Guagua municipality and Mabalacat City. Overall, the research served as a catalyst to integration of health care: today, health workers consciously implement brief advice daily, in a personalized manner, and in all possible patient interactions. Finally, the research not only contributed to better awareness on the dangers of secondhand smoke, but also strengthened screening and contact tracing of people with TB.
Duration of the project: March 2015 - February 2018