Grant: Doctoral Research Award: Canada Graduate Scholarships

A spinal cord injury (SCI) occurs from damage to the spinal cord and is associated with adverse health and social implications. Traditionally, health promotion has focused on the prevention of disease and disability, resulting in limited health promotion interventions for persons with SCI. An example of health promotion that has been overlooked for persons with SCI is smoking cessation. Compared to the general population, persons with SCI are more likely to smoke, experience more significant tobacco-related health disparities, and encounter unique circumstances to treatment. Despite these inequities, smoking cessation interventions have yet to be developed to support persons with SCI to stop smoking. Interventions developed using theory, systematic processes, and engagement of knowledge users are often more useful and relevant to those who may benefit from it. The ORBIT model was developed to improve the real-world impact of behavioural interventions by ensuring that interventions are carefully crafted and developed incrementally over time. The objective of this research is to use behaviour change theory and meaningful partnership with an SCI organization to develop and conduct preliminary testing of a smoking cessation intervention for persons with SCI. First, in a small sample of persons with SCI, we will test whether a tailored smoking cessation intervention helps persons with SCI stop smoking. Second, using gold-standard video recording methodology, we will determine whether peers with SCI can be trained to deliver the intervention as intended. Third, using a randomized design, we will determine whether the peer-delivered smoking cessation intervention can demonstrate greater smoking cessation rates compared to a care-as-usual control group. The findings from this study will be used to inform a future efficacy trial and may result in high-quality smoking cessation supports for persons with SCI.