Ritch Study

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Title:

The RITCh Study: Reducing Disparities in Tobacco Cessation Outcomes

Investigator:

Christine Sheffer, PhD, Sophie Davis School of Biomedical Education, City College of New York

Overview:

Tobacco use is a leading contributor to racial and socioeconomic health disparities in the US primarily due to an unequal burden of tobacco-related disease from a disproportionate share of smokers in lower socioeconomic (SES) and African American groups. Unlike many other health risk behaviors, tobacco-related health disparities are increasing despite a large treatment network of free telephone and in-person counseling services, in part due to the significant disparities in treatment outcomes. The goal of this project is to revise the standard treatment for tobacco dependence to address key factors associated with treatment outcome disparities and more fully meet the needs of lower SES and African American smokers thereby reducing disparities in tobacco dependence treatment outcomes, the alarming increase in tobacco-related health disparities, a leading cause of racial and socioeconomic health disparities in the US.

RITCh Research Team Members

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DR. WARREN BICKEL

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DR. CHRIS FRANCK