Pro-Change Behavior Systems awarded $378.5K from NIH

SOUTH KINGSTOWN – Pro-Change Behavior Systems Inc. has been awarded a $378,553 grant from the National Institutes of Health for development of an individualized tobacco-cessation digital app, the state’s congressional lawmakers announced Monday.

“Nicotine is incredibly addictive and quitting smoking can be a very difficult personal experience.  There is no one-size-fits-all approach … but there are tremendous health and economic benefits to everyone who quits tobacco,” said Sen. Jack Reed. D-R.I., in a statement. “This federal grant will help provide personalized assistance and resources to help folks kick the habit and stay smoke-free for good.”

The app will personalize behavior-change guidance and send tailored behavior-change nudges based on readiness to quit and electronic health record data, the delegation said.

“Last year, tobacco use claimed the lives of more than 480,000 Americans, making it the leading cause of preventable death in the country. We have a responsibility to help our fellow Americans break their addictions to tobacco and stop our young people from developing a tobacco habit in the first place,” said Rep. James R. Langevin, D-R.I. “I’m proud to support Pro-Change Behavior Systems’ innovative research, and I’m looking forward to reviewing their findings.”

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