Intervention to Increase Intention to Change Alcohol/Tobacco Use in Veterans With Chronic Disease

Launched by VA OFFICE OF RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT · Jun 24, 2025

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This clinical trial is testing a new way to help Veterans with chronic health problems, like heart disease or diabetes, reduce or quit smoking and drinking too much alcohol. Many Veterans are asked about their smoking and drinking habits each year and receive brief advice from their health care providers, but many continue these habits and may not want more intense treatment. This study will try out a program called MINDSET, which sends Veterans a personalized packet in the mail explaining how smoking and drinking affect their specific health condition, followed by a short motivational phone call. The goal is to see if this approach helps Veterans feel more ready to change and actually reduce their smoking or drinking compared to usual care.

Veterans who might join the study are those who have diabetes, heart disease, or related conditions like high blood pressure or high cholesterol, and who have shown they’re hesitant to change their smoking or drinking habits in recent screenings. Participants need to be Veterans, at least 18 years old, use VA health care regularly, and have a primary care appointment scheduled during the study period. People with serious memory problems, severe vision or hearing loss, or who can’t read or communicate in English won’t be eligible. If you join, you can expect to receive educational materials by mail tailored to your health needs and a brief motivational phone call, with researchers tracking how this affects your readiness to change and your smoking or drinking over time.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • an active diagnosis of diabetes, cardiovascular disease (CVD), or a cardiovascular risk factor (hypertension {HTN}, hyperlipidemia {HLD}) AND signs of reticence to change their smoking and/or alcohol use as evidenced by the two consecutive prior screens being positive for hazardous (e.g., Alcohol Use Disorders Test-Consumption \[AUDC\], and/or smoking (I.e., whether they are a current smoker or not).
• • Veteran
• • Age 18 years
• • utilize VA for medical care more than 1 time per year
• • are due to complete their smoking/alcohol use screen in approximately 3 months (to ensure they will likely receive UC during intervention period)
• • a scheduled PC appointment within the intervention period.
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • dementia or severe cognitive impairment per Problem List
• • significant visual impairment per Problem List
• * Other Exclusion criteria assessed by study staff during screening/self-report are:
• • inability to communicate or read in English;
• • Hearing impairment; and
• • cognitive impairment or screening for cognitive impairment ( 3 errors on Blessed screener).