Treating Postpartum Nicotine Dependence

描述（由申请人提供）：本指导研究科学家发展奖描述了一项培训和研究计划，旨在使候选人有资格设计和开展预防产后吸烟复发的研究。虽然许多妇女在怀孕期间戒烟，但大约70%的妇女会在分娩后一年内重新吸烟。由于产后吸烟对妇女和儿童的健康都有负面影响，因此防止产后再次吸烟对公众健康有重要的好处。然而，到目前为止，人们对产后吸烟的原因和预防知之甚少。产后情绪变化和对体重的担忧增加是很常见的，这些因素也与女性的吸烟行为有关。因此，假设情绪和体重问题增加了女性产后吸烟复发的脆弱性。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This Mentored Research Scientist Development Award describes a training and research plan designed to qualify the candidate to design and conduct research on the prevention of smoking relapse during the postpartum period. Although many women quit smoking during pregnancy, approximately 70% will resume smoking within a year of giving birth. Because smoking during the postpartum period has negative effects on the health of both women and children, preventing postpartum relapses to smoking can have important public health benefits. To date, however, little is known about the causes or prevention of postpartum smoking. Changes in mood and increases in concerns about weight are common during the postpartum period, and these factors also have been related to women's smoking behavior. Thus, it is hypothesized that mood and weight concerns increase women's vulnerability to postpartum smoking relapse. To elucidate the effects of mood and weight concerns on postpartum smoking, the candidate proposes a research plan designed to: (1) assess factors theoretically related to postpartum smoking relapse; (2) develop a postpartum-specific relapse prevention program addressing factors found to relate to postpartum relapse; and (3) test the feasibility, acceptability and initial efficacy of this postpartum-specific relapse prevention program. This research plan is combined with a training plan designed to establish a strong knowledge base in the following areas: (1) the physiologic effects of nicotine and tobacco on women, (2) factors in the postpartum period that affect mood and weight, and (3) advanced longitudinal data analytic techniques. The background and skills developed during through this research and training plan will provide a cohesive framework for the candidate's future career as an independent investigator in the area of clinical research on approaches to women's smoking cessation.