The Chinese community smoking cessation project: a community sensitive intervention trial

This paper describes (1) the design, methods and baseline data of the first smoking cessation clinical trial for Chinese Americans with medical conditions - Chinese Community Smoking Cessation Project (CCSCP); (2) the collaborative process between researchers and the Chinese community; and (3) the barriers and facilitators of implementing the study. CCSCP was a culturally tailored, randomized, smoking cessation trial testing the efficacy of an intensive (physician advice, in-person counseling with nicotine replacement therapy, 5 telephone calls) compared to a minimal (physician advice and self-help manual) intervention. The study applied a community-sensitive research method involving community members in all phases of the research process in San Francisco Bay Area during 2001-2007. CCSCP recruited 464 smokers from health care facilities (79%) located in Chinese neighborhoods and through Chinese language media (21%). Baseline assessments and interventions were conducted in-person using translated and tested questionnaire and intervention materials. The majority of the participants were men (91%) with a mean age of 58.3 years, foreign born (98%), with less than high school education (58%), spoke no English (42%) and in non-skilled or semi-skilled occupations (60%) with <$20,000 household income (51%). Participants smoked regularly on an average 38.6 +/- 17 years, smoked 9.1 +/- 8 cigarettes per day and 85% smoked daily. Cultural tailoring of recruitment methods and intervention design led to successful enrollment and retention of participants, overcoming barriers faced by the participants. Community sensitive collaborative process facilitated implementation of study protocol in community health care settings.