Mentorship in Action: Arkansas Advances Public Health Research and Tobacco Cessation Efforts with PHIG
In a strategic initiative funded by PHIG, the Arkansas Department of Health (ADH) partnered with the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) to enhance public health education through mentorship. Under this new program, from August 2023 to May 2024, a UAMS graduate student collaborated with an ADH senior scientist to assess the effectiveness of the Be Well Arkansas program, which provides tobacco cessation counseling. They found that participants who attended four counseling sessions had up to a 15% higher quit rate than those who attended just one. The graduate student presented this finding at the May 2024 ADH Grand Rounds, garnering positive feedback and inspiring them to pursue a career as an epidemiologist with ADH. The senior scientist plans to refine the analysis for future publication, showcasing the fruitful outcomes of this PHIG-supported partnership and its commitment to advancing public health research.
