# Does Switching to Nicotine-containing Electronic Cigarettes Reduce Health Risk Markers?

> **NIH NIH U01** · PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIV HERSHEY MED CTR · 2021 · $92,712

## Abstract

Project Summary/Abstract for Diversity Supplement
The candidate of this Research Supplement to Promote Diversity in Health-Related Research (Diversity
Supplement) (Dr. Sophia Allen) will investigate the social and economic factors that may influence clinical trial
enrollment and retention of participants in the parent grant (U01-DA045517) and determine if these same
factors are associated with participants’ ability to switch from traditional cigarettes to a NIDA Standardized
Research Electronic Cigarette (SREC). Cigarette smoking is the leading cause of preventable disease and
premature death in the U.S. yet vulnerable and minority populations (e.g., socioeconomic disadvantage,
African Americans, etc.) bear a disproportionate burden of tobacco-caused disease. The disproportionate
impact from smoking has been attributed to low utilization of cessation treatment services, less access to
health care, and the underrepresentation of minority populations in clinical trials, all of which may be influenced
by the Social Determinants of Health (SDoH). National initiatives such as Healthy People 2020 and the
National Academy of Medicine reports have identified SDoH as a priority for better understanding health
disparities. Thus, using tools to identify the environmental, behavioral, and social causes and consequences of
nicotine addiction may help to reduce the adverse health effects of traditional cigarette smoking. To date, there
is no data available on the SDoH, clinical trial enrollment, retention, and the ability to switch from traditional
cigarettes to an electronic cigarette such as the NIDA Standardized Research Electronic Cigarette (SREC). We
have developed an assessment tool adapted from the Protocol for Responding to and Assessing Patients’
Assets, Risks, and Experiences (PRAPARE) instrument and the Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)
questionnaire to gain a comprehensive understanding of participants’ social and economic needs. Standard
core measures will be collected and responses from the adapted PRAPARE instrument will be analyzed by Dr.
Allen to measure enrollment, retention and the ability of participants to switch from traditional cigarettes to a
SREC. The proposed supplemental study will inform the parent study by providing a potential explanatory
mechanism for participants’ ability to transition to an e-cigarette while also identifying health disparities among
vulnerable and minority populations. The overarching goal of this Diversity Supplement is for Dr. Allen, to gain
research experience as a postdoctoral trainee and transition to an independent investigator in substance
abuse (nicotine) research with a focus on health disparities. The candidate’s proposed four areas of focus
include: (1) clinical trials research training and experience; (2) biostatistical methods; (3) research publications
and grant writing; and (4) responsible conduct of research. Together, this training and experience will allow Dr.
Allen to develop K-series and ...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10294089
- **Project number:** 3U01DA045517-01S2
- **Recipient organization:** PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIV HERSHEY MED CTR
- **Principal Investigator:** JONATHAN FOULDS
- **Activity code:** U01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $92,712
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2018-08-15 → 2021-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10294089

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10294089, Does Switching to Nicotine-containing Electronic Cigarettes Reduce Health Risk Markers? (3U01DA045517-01S2). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10294089. Licensed CC0.

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