Crook County seeks tobacco cessation focus group participants
Adults in Crook County who recently quit tobacco or would like to quit can earn $25 by answering questions in a focus group about their tobacco use. A free meal will be provided during each focus group session, and each participant will receive a $25 Visa gift card.
Focus group sessions will be held at the following dates and times:
Thursday September 14 th 12-1:30pm
Thursday Sept. 14th 5:30-7pm
Tuesday September 19th 12-1:30pm
Saturday September 23rd 10:30am-12pm
Special sessions will be held for women who are pregnant or who had a baby within the last year. Women interested in participating in one of these groups can contact Kylie Loving for dates and times.
“Our goal is to create a comfortable, non-judgmental atmosphere where everyone can share their opinions and experiences. We really want to understand what people are looking for when it comes to getting help quitting tobacco,” said Loving, a health educator at the Crook County Health Department, and coordinator of this project.
Crook County received a grant to conduct these focus groups. With the information from the focus groups, the Health Department, along with a group of local medical providers, will choose a tobacco cessation project to pilot. Funding comes through the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute Community Partnership Program. This program provides grants and other resources to help communities develop programs that prevent cancer.
According to the CDC, Cancers linked to tobacco use make up 40% of all cancers diagnosed in the United States. “The Health Department is dedicated to reducing the burden of disease and death Crook County caused by tobacco use,” said Loving. In Crook County, 68 deaths per year are attributed to tobacco use, and 1,334 people have a serious tobacco related illness.
For more information or to sign up for one of the focus groups, contact Kylie Loving
Kylie Loving
541-447-3260 ext. 133
Individuals can also sign up for a focus group online at www.eventbrite.com – Search for Tobacco Focus Groups.
